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Iran warns of “faster, heavier, more painful response” to US attacks

From BBC News · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Iran's Revolutionary Guard claimed it attacked a US remote-controlled vessel and fired missiles toward American warships, but the US military denied the first claim and said the missile attacks were evaded.
  • The renewed fighting followed the expiration of a 60-day ceasefire and has involved US strikes on Iran and Iranian attacks on US targets across the region.
  • The conflict has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, disrupted oil and gas flows and pushed the average US diesel price to $5.85 per gallon, up from $3.71 a year earlier.

Iran has warned that its response to US attacks will become “faster, heavier and more painful”, as the two countries continue fighting around the Strait of Hormuz.

Iranian state media said on Sunday that the country's navy had attacked an American remote-controlled vessel attempting to enter the strait. The US military denied the report. Captain Tim Hawkins, a CENTCOM spokesperson, called it “a total lie,” according to the Associated Press.

The report came from Iranian state media and it's a total lie.

· Captain Tim HawkinsThe CENTCOM spokesperson denied Iran's claim that its navy attacked a US remote-controlled vessel.

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth issued his own warning on social media: “It’s simple: if Iran shoots at US ships, we will destroy (and sink) their oil tankers.” Washington said it had struck Iranian oil tankers after Tehran attacked US warships in the region.

A 60-day ceasefire formally expired last month, ending a period of relative calm. The United States has since launched repeated strikes on Iranian targets, while Iran has retaliated against US targets in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan. President Donald Trump said the renewed fighting would not last “too long”, but months of negotiations have produced no lasting peace and there is little sign of another diplomatic settlement.

It's simple: if Iran shoots at US ships, we will destroy (and sink) their oil tankers.

· Pete HegsethThe US defense secretary warned Iran against attacking American ships.

The Strait of Hormuz has been effectively closed since the war began and has become an important source of leverage for Iran. Tehran says it will retain some control over the waterway, while Trump says the strait is “open” and the US military is helping ships use the southern route.

The conflict has raised global gas prices and created political pressure in the United States ahead of November's midterm elections. Average US diesel prices reached $5.85 per gallon on Friday, compared with $3.71 a year earlier. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said about 9 million barrels of oil a day were still moving through the strait. Including regional pipelines, he said flows were probably at least two-thirds of their pre-conflict level. Wright added that US gas prices should begin to fall as summer demand declines after Labor Day.

too long

· Donald TrumpThe US president said the renewed fighting would not continue for an extended period.
About this summary

Originally published by BBC News in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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