‘Rules of war have changed’: Iran warns US of ‘more painful’ response after Gulf tanker strikes

Iran has issued a stern warning to the United States, stating that the rules of war in their conflict have changed, according to a Reuters report. Iran's parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, in a recent speech, declared that any attack on Iran's interests and security would now be met with a "faster, heavier and more painful" response.

This comes after the US launched attacks on several Iranian tankers in the Gulf, prompting Iran to threaten a harsher retaliation. The shift in Iran's stance contrasts with the earlier calls for an end to the war by some senior Iranian officials, who claimed they were already in a victorious position. Iran's state-run media reported that a US vessel was allegedly attempting to enter a restricted area in the Strait of Hormuz, which resulted in Iran targeting three oil tankers and several US-linked ships.

The US Central Command, responsible for American military operations in the Middle East, denied the claim and stated that the targeted Navy warships had successfully evaded the attacks. The US has vowed to defend its forces and destroy Iran's oil fleet if necessary, following the recent strikes, while Iran's warnings indicate a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict.