Iran issued a warning to the United States on Sunday, saying Washington should understand that the rules in its war against Tehran have changed “before it is too late”. It further threatened a “more painful” response, a day after the US struck several Iranian tankers in the Gulf, Reuters news agency reported.
Iran also said it had targeted three oil tankers using an unauthorised route through the Strait of Hormuz, as well as a number of US-linked ships, Bloomberg reported This comes a day after the US CENTCOM said it had struck three Iranian oil tankers following missile attacks by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps “toward two US Navy warships patrolling regional waters. The US Central Command, which oversees American military operations in the Middle East, did not confirm the claim or make any comment on the same.
The US CENTCOM said the targeted Navy warships had “successfully evaded” the multiple Iranian attacks, calling the strikes “unprovoked”. It said that no American personnel were harmed in the attack. Iran’s state-run media earlier on Sunday said a US vessel was trying to enter a restricted area in the Strait of Hormuz, saying the boat was hit, according to the Associated Press.
A ceasefire arrangement was signed by Washington and Tehran, but unravelled quickly over sticking points, including the Strait of Hormuz. Following the strikes, the US CENTCOM had also warned the IRGC of a “higher economic cost. On-and-off exchanges of fire from both sides, primarily over shipping in the waterway, have continued, with the US also launching Operation Economic Outcast.
The war had begun with the US-Israel attacks on Iran on February 28.
“We will not hesitate to defend American forces, and if necessary, destroy Iran’s limited and exposed oil fleet,” US Admiral and CENTCOM Commander Brad Cooper said. Under the operation, the Trump administration is looking to sever “critical financial lifelines” of the Iranian economy.
