The U.S. side: plans to launch "intense bombings" this weekend.

According to CCTV News, on August 1, the U.S. State Department issued a broad security warning to American citizens in the Middle East, advising them to consider evacuation or to prepare for rapid departure. U.S. sources indicate that the U.S. and Israel plan to launch "the most intense bombing yet" against Iranian energy facilities, potentially extending throughout the weekend. However, President Trump has not yet issued a final order for action. In response, Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement on the same day, emphasizing its determination to continue resisting. The ceasefire memorandum between the U.S. and Iran has essentially become a dead letter. The final "trigger" has not yet been pulled, but the shadow of escalated tensions looms over the Middle East once again. The U.S. government issued multiple warnings, advising citizens in the Middle East to evacuate. On August 1 local time, the U.S. State Department issued a comprehensive security warning to American citizens in the Middle East, suggesting they "consider leaving the area or prepare for quick evacuation in case of escalating situations." The State Department reminded individuals to remain cautious and vigilant, prepared for potential flight cancellations, temporary airspace closures, and other travel disruptions. The announcement also emphasized that American citizens planning to travel to the Middle East should seriously reconsider their travel plans. On the same day, U.S. embassies in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, Iraq, Oman, Israel, and other countries issued security warnings, urging American citizens to remain alert and closely monitor local security conditions. Reports revealed that the U.S. and Israel plan to target Iranian energy facilities this weekend. According to prior information from the U.S., the U.S. and Israel are planning to launch "the most intense bombing to date" against Iran's energy infrastructure, with operations expected to last the entire weekend. The targets of the strikes include power plants, refineries, and other components of Iran's energy infrastructure. Among the options under discussion is a plan to cut off the power supply to Tehran. Furthermore, informed sources disclosed that U.S. Central Command Commander Cooper drafted a plan for escalating operations against Iran, focusing on implementing high-intensity bombings over 10 to 14 days to significantly weaken Iran's missile strike capabilities and break the deadlock. However, President Trump has yet to give the final order for action. The U.S. military is increasing the deployment of heavy transport helicopters to the Middle East. On August 1, the U.S. Central Command announced that an American Army CH-47 Chinook heavy transport helicopter has been deployed to the Middle East in preparation for landing. This model is capable of carrying out personnel, equipment, and supply transport missions in complex operational environments. Israeli officials report that the defense establishment is on high alert. On August 1 local time, an Israeli official revealed that assessments suggest Trump is currently closer than ever to approving a significant military strike against Iran, although related plans have not yet been finalized. According to the details disclosed by the official, the U.S. is considering precise and limited strikes against specific Iranian energy facilities and tends to keep Israel out of the initial phase of attacks. However, Israeli officials believe that if the U.S. military launches such attacks, it could likely provoke Iranian military retaliation against Israel, forcing Israel to become involved in the conflict. At present, Israeli defense agencies are maintaining a high level of vigilance. Iran responds strongly: will continue to resist until the threat of enemies is eliminated. On August 1, Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement declaring its determination to continue along the path of resistance and steadfastness until the malicious actions of enemies are completely eradicated. The statement noted that the U.S. continues to violate the terms of the June 18 U.S.-Iran understanding memorandum, enacting maritime blockades on Iranian ports and commercial vessels, while continually carrying out brutal attacks and increasing economic pressure. In response, the defensive strikes of Irans armed forces continue unabated. Iran's Foreign Minister Zarif, in a call with Pakistan and Turkey on the same day, warned U.S. forces against taking any reckless actions and emphasized that Iran would resolutely respond to any acts of infringement. Additionally, according to reports from Iran early on August 1, a senior Iranian security official revealed that Iran has developed a comprehensive counterattack plan, targeting critical infrastructure in Israel and U.S. energy facilities in the Middle East, which can be activated at any time. Expert analysis: How will Iran respond if the U.S. and Israel launch large-scale bombings? Qin Tian, Deputy Director of the Middle East Institute at the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, believes that if the U.S. truly carries out its threats, Iran will still mount a strong counterattack. First, Iran will continue to increase its attacks on U.S. military bases in the Middle East and American allies; if Israel joins the conflict, Iran will also target it for retaliation. Second, Iran may further mobilize proxies or members of resistance factions to restrain and harass the U.S. and Israel, as evidenced by actions from Houthi forces and Iraqi Shiite militias. Additionally, Iran may launch cyberattacks against U.S. domestic infrastructurerecent cyberattacks on a state's water system have been analyzed as possibly being attributed to Iran. Overall, Iran's counterattack will be multi-dimensional and comprehensive. The U.S. continues to exert pressure on Iran, which responds with a tough stance, leading to an ongoing escalation in military confrontation. The ceasefire memorandum has effectively become a mere formality, and the regional situation once again faces the risk of spiraling out of control. This article is reproduced from the "Caijing Association" WeChat official account, edited by Xu Wenqiang.