US denies Iran’s claim of vessel attack in Strait of Hormuz
Iran’s top negotiator warned on Sunday of “a faster, heavier, and more painful response” to US strikes, as fighting between the two countries entered a second week and both sides traded accusations of attacks in the Strait of Hormuz and the region’s waters.
Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Americans must understand “before it is too late” that the “rules of the game have changed,” according to a translation of his remarks carried on Iranian state media. His comments came a day after Washington said it struck Iranian oil tankers in response to Tehran attacking American warships in regional waters.
US Central Command released footage on Saturday showing strikes on Iran-linked tankers.
The two sides also disputed events in the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian state media reported on Sunday that Iran’s Navy had attacked an American remote-controlled vessel attempting to enter the waterway. The US military denied the claim.
“The report came from Iranian state media and it’s a total lie,” Captain Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson for US Central Command, told the Associated Press.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued his own warning to Iran on social media on Saturday, writing: “It’s simple: if Iran shoots at US ships, we will destroy (and sink) their oil tankers.”
The renewed fighting followed the formal expiration last month of a 60-day ceasefire between the two countries. The US resumed attacks last Sunday, ending a period of relative calm. The war began in February and has stretched into its sixth month.
Throughout the week, the US has launched multiple strikes on Iranian targets. Iran has retaliated against US targets in the region, including in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan.
US President Donald Trump said this week that the renewed fighting would not last “too long,” echoing comments both he and his administration have frequently made since the war began.
Months of negotiations between the US and Iran have not produced a lasting peace, and there is little sign of a further diplomatic settlement on the horizon.