Iran condemns US vessel attacks, cites 'self-defense' strikes

Iran's Foreign Ministry on Wednesday strongly condemned US military attacks on Iranian commercial vessels, describing the strikes as part of Washington's "military aggression, maritime blockade and economic war" against the Islamic Republic. The ministry said the US actions constituted a "clear violation" of the UN Charter and international law, warning that such moves were dangerously escalating tensions and threatening regional and international peace and security.

Retaliatory strikes target Jordan bases

The ministry added that Iranian armed forces exercised their "inherent right to legitimate self-defense" by targeting US military bases and facilities in Jordan, which Tehran accused of supporting American military operations against the Islamic Republic. Iranian forces also struck several US vessels in what the ministry described as "defensive strikes," saying the armed forces would respond decisively to any further military aggression.

IRGC reports Gulf vessel attacks

Earlier on Wednesday, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it had targeted two US vessels and eight oil tankers in response to US attacks on five Iranian oil tankers. The statement comes amid the ongoing US-Iran conflict, which has increasingly extended to vital maritime routes in and around the Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman, with both sides reporting sustained attacks on military and commercial shipping since hostilities began.