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Iran Vows to Retaliate If U.S. Strikes Iranian Commercial, Oil Tankers
(MENAFN) Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps issued a stark military warning Saturday, vowing a devastating response against American installations and vessels should any of its commercial or oil tankers come under attack.
"Warning! Any aggression against Iranian oil tankers and commercial vessels will be met with a heavy attack against one of the American centers in the region and enemy ships," the IRGC Navy command declared, as reported by Iran's state-affiliated news agency.
IRGC Aerospace Force Commander Majid Mousavi sharpened the threat further, announcing that Iranian missiles and drones are "locked onto the enemy" and standing by for a launch order.
Simultaneously, Britain's Defense Ministry confirmed it is repositioning a Royal Navy warship into the Middle East ahead of a potential multinational escort operation designed to safeguard commercial vessels navigating the Strait of Hormuz. The HMS Dragon — a Type 45 destroyer previously operating in the eastern Mediterranean off Cyprus — will move into a forward-ready posture and stand by to integrate into a UK- and France-led maritime protection initiative once formally authorized, multiple British outlets reported, citing a ministry spokesperson.
The flare-up follows a dramatic regional deterioration triggered by U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran on Feb. 28, which prompted Tehran to retaliate against Israel and American allies across the Gulf — and to shut down the Strait of Hormuz entirely.
A fragile ceasefire brokered through Pakistani mediation took hold on April 8, though subsequent negotiations in Islamabad collapsed without yielding a durable framework. U.S. President Donald Trump later extended the truce indefinitely, opening a window for diplomatic efforts toward a permanent resolution.
Since April 13, Washington has maintained a naval blockade targeting Iranian maritime traffic through the strategic waterway. On Tuesday, Trump announced a temporary suspension of "Project Freedom" — the U.S. operation aimed at restoring open commercial navigation through the strait — while making clear the underlying American blockade would remain "in full force and effect."
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