The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy warned it would respond with force and strike enemy bases if they launch new aggression, according to an IRGC statement. The threat comes after a US official confirmed that a vessel was attacked and damaged in the Strait of Hormuz, as reported by security analyst Yair Goldblatt. The IRGC had earlier announced a temporary closure of the strait and threatened to target any hostile bases.
Early Sunday (Jul 12, 01:41 Jerusalem), a US official confirmed that a vessel was attacked and damaged in the Strait of Hormuz, as reported by security analyst Yair Goldblatt. Shortly after, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy issued a statement threatening to respond with force and attack enemy bases if they commit a 'mistake' and launch new aggression. The threat escalates the ongoing standoff in the strategic waterway.
The Zioneer first reported the IRGC's closure of the Strait of Hormuz on Sat Jul 11 at 13:41 Jerusalem, when the IRGC Navy announced a temporary closure. Over the next several hours, the IRGC issued multiple statements: detailing the seizure of a vessel that ignored warnings, announcing the closure 'until further notice,' and threatening to expand attacks on US bases if attacked. The US official's confirmation, reported by Goldblatt, provides the first Western on-record acknowledgment of an attack in the strait, though the official's identity and the vessel's details remain undisclosed.
As The Zioneer has reported over the past weeks, the IRGC has repeatedly targeted vessels in the strait since early June. On Jul 7, the IRGC attacked a vessel overnight, according to Channel 14. On Jun 18, the US Navy broadcast warnings in Persian to IRGC vessels. The current escalation follows a series of IRGC actions and US warnings.
The identity, nationality, and damage status of the attacked vessel remain unconfirmed. The US official's statement has not been independently verified by additional sources. The IRGC's threat to attack bases, while consistent with its earlier warnings, has not been corroborated by independent reporting.
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