TEHRAN - The Iranian Armed Forces Chief of Staff has issued a warning to Israeli settlers to evacuate Tel Aviv and Haifa, saying that recent retaliatory operations against Israeli targets were meant as deterrent warnings, and that a more forceful and punitive military response is imminent.

In a video message released on Tuesday, Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi condemned the Israeli regime’s recent attacks, which he said were carried out under the guise of military operations but in fact deliberately targeted innocent civilians, including women, children, and the elderly.

He further condemned Israel for continuing its “brutal disregard for international law” by targeting the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) and Iranian media professionals—an act he linked to the killings of nearly 300 journalists in Gaza and Lebanon.

“The Zionist regime, through these savage attacks, seeks to silence the voice of truth,” Mousavi stated.

Emphasizing the resolve of the Iranian people, he said, “The great nation of Iran has never yielded to aggression throughout history and will stand firm in the face of this barbarity. The Zionist regime will be made to pay for its crimes.”

Mousavi said the martyrdom of Iranian citizens, scientists, and military commanders had only intensified the Armed Forces’ determination to retaliate. He noted that Iran’s response so far—including strikes carried out by the IRGC Aerospace Force and the country’s air defense units—had already inflicted heavy damage on “sensitive and vital” targets.

These operations, he stressed, were intended as warnings and part of a broader deterrence strategy. But, he added, a more forceful military response is imminent.

“The punitive operation is coming,” he warned. “We seriously advise residents of the occupied territories—especially in Tel Aviv and Haifa—to evacuate for their own safety. Do not become pawns in Netanyahu’s beastly ambitions.”

Mousavi concluded his message with a call to the global community of the world’s free people, assuring them that Iran, led by its Armed Forces, will take full revenge for the blood of its martyrs.