Iran warned on Sunday that the war will escalate further if the United States continues its attacks on the country. The message suggests the confrontation could intensify quickly unless the fighting is halted.

It is still unclear how extensive the US attacks have been or what impact they have already had. Even so, Iran’s warning shows that tensions between the two countries have risen sharply and that the situation remains highly volatile.

HBL reported the warning in its foreign news coverage. For the wider world, the statement is a reminder that the conflict could spread and affect security far beyond the immediate region.