'Locked onto American targets': Iran warns US against any further aggression against Iranian oil tankers

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Saturday (May 9) in a strong message to US warned against any threat to its oil tankers or commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. It said that any misadventure by the US would lead to a "heavy assault" on American centres and military ships in the Persian Gulf.

Taking to microblogging site X the IRGC wrote, "Warning! Any aggression against Iran's oil tankers and commercial vessels will result in a heavy assault against one of the American centres in the region and the enemy's ships."

In a separate post the IRGC Aerospace Force said its missiles and drones have already been "locked onto American targets in the region".

"IRGC Aerospace Force missiles and drones have locked onto American targets in the region and the enemy aggressor's ships. We are awaiting the order to fire," the post read.

US, Iran trade blame game

The warning comes amid heightened tensions after American forces destroyed Iranian attackers "targeting" three US Navy destroyers as they passed through the Strait of Hormuz,

The confrontation in the Strait of Hormuz was confirmed by US President Trump, who said three US Navy destroyers "transited very successfully" out of the Strait of Hormuz, noting they were fired upon by Iranian forces during the passage.

He also claimed that the Iranian naval boats were "completely destroyed" in the exchange of fire.

While the US blamed Iran for the exchange of fire, Iran's version of events was different. Tehran's military command accused Washington of initiating the exchange of fire, specifically by attacking an Iranian oil tanker and another ship, and said its forces "immediately and in retaliation attacked American military vessels." Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said Tehran would communicate its position to mediator Pakistan after “finalising its views.”