Iran warns US of heavy losses as Egypt approves Saudi troop deployment

Tehran’s newly appointed Defence Minister, Mehrdad Akhlaghi, warned the United States on Sunday, 18 October, that any military escalation against Iran would result in "enormous damage" to American forces and regional allies. The statement follows the Iranian parliament’s vote of confidence for Akhlaghi, who replaces Aziz Nasirzadeh, killed during US-Israeli strikes on 28 February. Iran issues military warning Speaking shortly after his confirmation, Akhlaghi asserted that Iran has implemented defensive measures to counter high-yield explosives, including the "Mother of All Bombs." He urged US President Donald Trump to withdraw troops from the Middle East, claiming that further aggression would lead to significant American casualties. Akhlaghi, who has served in the defence ministry for 42 years and formerly led the Iranian Defence Industries Organisation, stated that Tehran’s military preparedness is intended to deter potential strikes. Regional military deployments In a parallel development, Egypt’s National Defence Council, chaired by President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi, has approved the deployment of troops to Saudi Arabia on a defensive mission. Egyptian MP Mostafa Bakry confirmed on Sunday, 18 October, that the House of Representatives is scheduled to meet in an emergency session at 1:00 PM Cairo time to formalise the deployment. The move follows recent security incidents in the kingdom, including the crash of a Saudi AH-6i reconnaissance helicopter in the Najran region due…