Iran has warned of a "faster, heavier, more painful response" to ongoing U.S. attacks, according to Iranian state media. The warning comes amid a significant escalation in hostilities between the two nations, with a formal ceasefire having expired last month. The U.S. military has denied claims by Iranian state media that its navy attacked an American remote-controlled vessel attempting to enter the Strait of Hormuz.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated on social media that if Iran attacks U.S. ships, "we will destroy (and sink) their oil tankers." This exchange of threats follows a week of intensified fighting, during which the U.S. launched multiple strikes on Iranian targets. Iran, in turn, has retaliated against U.S. targets in the region, including in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan.
U.S. President Donald Trump expressed optimism this week, suggesting the renewed conflict would not last "too long." However, months of negotiations between the U.S. and Iran have failed to yield a lasting peace agreement, with no clear diplomatic settlement on the horizon. The current conflict began in February and has continued for approximately six months. The U.S. resumed attacks on Iranian targets last Sunday, shattering a period of relative calm that had been in place for 60 days.