Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy has announced a major retaliatory operation in the Persian Gulf, saying it targeted two U.S. vessels and eight tankers in response to a U.S. attack on five Iranian tankers.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy said its forces carried out a series of operations in the Persian Gulf in response to what it described as the “aggression and mischief” of the “terrorist American army” against Iranian vessels.

According to an IRGC statement, two U.S. vessels and eight tankers were targeted during the operation and sustained heavy damage.

The Iranian force said the strikes were carried out as a direct response to the U.S. attack on five Iranian tankers in the Persian Gulf, stressing that Iran would not allow attacks on its vessels to go unanswered.

The IRGC Navy also announced that its forces targeted 10 additional vessels attempting to pass through a zone declared prohibited and unsafe in the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

Iran said the vessels had attempted to enter the restricted area with the encouragement and support of the U.S. military, prompting Iranian forces to intervene.

The development underscores the growing confrontation between Iran and the United States in one of the world’s most strategically important maritime corridors.

The IRGC Navy made clear that the Strait of Hormuz remains under the close surveillance and management of Iranian forces.

“The Strait of Hormuz remains under the firm monitoring and management of the IRGC Navy,” the statement said.

Iran has repeatedly emphasized the strategic importance of the waterway, through which a significant portion of global energy shipments passes. Tehran regards any attempt by foreign military forces to impose their will on the area as a direct challenge to Iran’s sovereignty and regional security.

The latest IRGC statement sends a clear message to Washington: Iran will defend its maritime interests and respond decisively to attacks against its vessels and national interests.

The escalating confrontation in the Persian Gulf risks further destabilizing an already tense region, while Iran’s latest operation demonstrates that Tehran remains determined to defend its strategic position and maintain effective control over the Strait of Hormuz. (ILKHA)