Iran Warns US of ‘Faster, Heavier’ Response After Oil Tanker Strikes

Iran has warned the United States that any further attacks on its interests will trigger a faster, heavier and more painful response, as the confrontation between Washington and Tehran intensifies around the Strait of Hormuz.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Sunday that the “rules of the game” had changed and urged Washington to understand the shift “before it is too late”. His warning followed US strikes on three Iranian oil tankers on September 5.

The US Central Command said its forces destroyed or disabled three Iranian crude carriers after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps fired ballistic missiles at two US Navy warships. The US said the vessels evaded the attacks and no American personnel were injured. CENTCOM commander Admiral Brad Cooper warned that further Iranian attacks could bring an even higher economic cost and said Washington could destroy Iran’s exposed oil fleet.

Iran then claimed it had struck an unmanned US vessel attempting to enter the Strait of Hormuz. The US military rejected the claim, calling it false, adding another disputed incident to the rapidly escalating maritime confrontation.

Tehran also said it had targeted three oil tankers and US-linked vessels using what it described as unauthorised routes through the waterway. Meanwhile, US forces have been enforcing a maritime blockade, with CENTCOM saying dozens of commercial vessels have been redirected and some boarded or disabled.

The crisis has also spread beyond the immediate US-Iran confrontation. Jordan and Bahrain have faced Iranian missile and drone threats, while Gulf shipping and aviation have been affected by the renewed hostilities. Flight disruptions and growing security concerns are being reported across the region.

At the same time, Washington is tightening its economic campaign against Iran, targeting the networks and institutions it says provide financial lifelines to Tehran and the IRGC. Iran’s oil exports and access to foreign currency have come under increasing pressure, with reports suggesting only about 30 million barrels of crude remain in oil already destined for China.