IRGC vows response after sea clash
Iran warns of decisive action against U.S. forces following vessel incident
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) declared it will take decisive action against U.S. forces following what Tehran described as an American attack on an Iranian commercial vessel in the Sea of Oman. Lieutenant-Colonel Ebrahim Zolfaghari, spokesperson for the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, condemned the operation that deployed U.S. marines aboard the merchant ship and disabled its navigation systems, calling it a “blatant aggression” and labeling the attacking forces “terrorist.” He said Iran struck back with drone attacks against several U.S. military vessels in the area.
Zolfaghari warned that Iran’s armed forces are prepared to respond forcefully once the safety of the targeted vessel’s crew and their family members—whose presence aboard limited immediate retaliation—can be guaranteed. The statement framed any forthcoming action as conditional on securing civilians’ lives before striking back at the U.S. “aggressor forces.”
The episode followed Iran’s earlier declaration that the Strait of Hormuz had been reopened to commercial traffic after weeks of closure to vessels tied to the U.S., Israel and allied states.
