Iran Claims Attack on U.S. Vessel in Strait of Hormuz
On early Sunday, Tehran announced that an unmanned U.S. vessel attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz had been targeted by Iranian forces, marking another rise in tensions in this strategically important waterway.
Iran has issued a stern warning that any future U.S. attacks on its interests would provoke a swifter and more severe reaction as the cycle of retaliatory actions continues.
Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, the Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, advised the U.S. to recognize that Iran is operating without limits and suggested Washington should reconsider its actions “before it is too late.”
“From now on, any attack against Iran’s interests and security will receive a faster, heavier, and more painful response,” Qalibaf stated in comments shared on his Telegram channel.
This latest warning from Iran’s chief negotiator adds to an escalating exchange of rhetoric between Tehran and Washington, especially following the U.S. strikes on Iranian tankers on Saturday and Tehran’s subsequent response, indicating a growing confrontation in the Gulf region.
The U.S. Central Command, which supervises military operations in the Middle East, has not confirmed or denied the reported retaliatory strike.
State media in Iran claimed that the U.S. vessel was trying to enter a restricted zone in the Strait of Hormuz.
This alleged Iranian attack occurred shortly after the U.S. military confirmed it had targeted three Iranian oil tankers in retaliation for a missile strike on U.S. Navy ships. Reports indicate that two of the Iranian tanker vessels were rendered inoperable while a third was reported “completely destroyed.”
One of the tankers was reportedly hit near Kharg Island, which serves as Iran’s main oil export terminal, corroborating Iranian media reports of explosions in that vicinity. Kharg Island is critical for Iran, handling around 90 percent of the country’s crude oil exports through pipelines from the mainland.
The Strait of Hormuz is vital for the global oil and gas sector, but tensions have effectively shut it down since the conflict escalated in February, as Iran attempts to leverage this situation in negotiations with the U.S. and its allies.
In addition, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced that it has laid mines in both international and Omani waters within the strait. In June, the International Maritime Organization indicated that around 80 mines had been placed in crucial shipping lanes, some of which have since been removed or neutralized by U.S. Navy operations.
