The Day of the Midnight Hammer Warning

The editorial narrative on January 28 was dominated by an intensifying cycle of military threats between Washington and Tehran. Morning headlines focused on President Trump’s announcement of a "beautiful" naval fleet moving toward the Persian Gulf, accompanied by warnings that a failure to negotiate would trigger strikes surpassing "Operation Midnight Hammer." State-aligned media like Kayhan countered by prioritizing threats to close the Strait of Hormuz and destroy American vessels, framing the U.S. posture as psychological warfare. By afternoon, editorial attention shifted to the international isolation of the IRGC, with French and German officials supporting its designation as a terrorist organization and the U.S. expelling former IRGC members. Domestically, editors highlighted the economic fallout as the Rial stabilized above the record 150,000 mark. The day concluded with diaspora outlets focusing on the execution of an alleged spy and Prince Reza Pahlavi’s declared readiness to return to Iran for a "final battle."