Iran vows to fire on U.S. warships as Trump hints at further strikes

Iran’s chief of the general staff, Ali Abdollahi, said the U.S. Navy cannot re-enter Iran’s territorial waters or approach the Persian Gulf, stating that any such attempt would be met with fire. In a statement carried by state media on Saturday, Abdollahi added that U.S. claims of having crippled Iran’s military were contradicted by Washington’s reluctance to bring aircraft carriers closer to Iranian territory.

President Donald Trump told supporters at a rally in Florida that the U.S. military “may do another Epic Fury,” referring to the extensive bombing campaign at the start of the conflict. He has been weighing whether to pursue a decisive large-scale attack or continue pressure through a naval blockade and sanctions.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps reported attacks on several tankers and mines in the Strait of Hormuz, contributing to a rise in Brent crude to about $117 per barrel, its highest level since April. The IRGC also warned it could target seabed communication cables if civilian infrastructure were struck.

Regional diplomats met in Istanbul, where Turkey’s foreign minister Hakan Fidan said a new attack on Iran would expand the war across the region and that military intervention was not a solution. German foreign minister Johann Wadephul held Iran and the Houthis responsible for regional instability, while the four regional foreign ministers jointly described Israeli occupation as the main source of unrest.

Analysts in Tehran noted the heightened risk of broader conflict, with rising oil prices cited as evidence of escalating tensions. Foreign-policy analyst Reza Nasri wrote that Iran would no longer negotiate under bombardment and would pursue all necessary means to end the cycle of conflict.