US denies Iran’s claim to have struck an unmanned ship

Iranian officials claimed on Sunday that they had sunk an unmanned U.S. vessel attempting to enter the Strait of Hormuz, a statement the United States rejected as "a total lie." This assertion followed a day in which U.S. forces had reportedly targeted three Iranian oil tankers in response to Iranian warships being hit with ballistic missiles.

Experts warned that such a move could lead to further destabilization in the region, as Iran's previous maritime actions had often targeted commercial shipping. Iranian state media asserted that the U.S. vessel was attempting to enter waters deemed restricted by Iran. Capt. Tim Hawkins, a spokesman for U.S. Central Command, stated that Iran's claim was false.

The Iranian parliament's speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, declared that Iran would respond to U.S. attacks with a speed and severity that would be "faster, harsher, and more painful." He warned that the era of proportional responses to aggression had ended, and that recent assaults on U.S. military bases were merely the beginning.

Ghalibaf also highlighted Iran's economic turmoil, citing soaring inflation, high unemployment, and volatile exchange rates as factors exacerbating the population's hardships. The Iranian leader emphasized that "internal unity" and "external deterrence" would be crucial in the ongoing conflict with the U.S. He cautioned that any weakening of these elements would violate Supreme Leader Khamenei's directives.

Ghalibaf's remarks came in the wake of escalating military tensions and a new U.S. strategy. Admiral Brad Cooper, the commander of U.S. Central Command, stated that if Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps fired ballistic missiles at two U.S. ships without causing damage, the U.S. would retaliate by disabling three Iranian oil tankers.

The U.S. military released footage showing the destruction of three Iranian crude oil tankers, with two being "permanently disabled" and one sinking following extensive bombings.