Iran warns of military zero hour after Israeli jets reach border

Tensions between Tehran and Tel Aviv reached a critical threshold on Thursday, 22 October, as a senior Iranian official warned that both nations are approaching a "zero hour" for direct military confrontation. The warning follows reports of a massive Israeli aerial exercise that saw dozens of fighter jets reach the Iranian border. Mehdi Mohammadi, an adviser to Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, stated late on Wednesday that the signs of conflict have "noticeably intensified." Writing on his Telegram channel, Mohammadi cited increased military flights over Iraq and strategic movements within Israeli territories as indicators that Israel is preparing for multiple combat scenarios. Israeli Jets Conduct Long-Range Maneuvers The escalation coincides with a report from Axios on Wednesday detailing a large-scale Israeli operation conducted on Monday. According to Israeli and U.S. officials, dozens of Israeli fighter jets and refueling aircraft flew more than 800 miles from Israel. The flight path took the formation through Syrian and Iraqi airspace, reaching the Iranian border in a move intended to project power and deter Tehran. U.S. officials noted that the aircraft were deliberately flown within range of Iranian air defenses. While some sources suggested the sortie was intended to provoke an Iranian response to justify a counter-strike, other officials characterized the mission as a standard, albeit significant, deterrent measure. Political Coordination in…