Iran warns of 'faster, heavier, more painful response' to US attacks

What the report says

BBC World News reports that Iran has issued a stark warning of a “faster, heavier, and more painful response” to US attacks, as tensions between the two countries continue to intensify. The remarks were made by Iran’s parliament speaker and top negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, on Sunday, following a new round of strikes and counterstrikes between the two sides.

According to the BBC, the latest escalation followed Washington’s claim that it had struck Iranian oil tankers after Tehran attacked US warships in the region. Iranian state media also said Iran’s navy had targeted a US remote-controlled vessel near the Strait of Hormuz, though the US military denied that account. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth separately warned that if Iran fired on US ships, the United States would destroy and sink Iranian oil tankers.

The BBC notes that fighting resumed after a brief ceasefire expired last month, with attacks reported across the region, including in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan. The Strait of Hormuz remains a key pressure point because of its importance to global energy supplies. Beyond the immediate military exchange, the dispute has helped push up fuel prices and added economic strain in the US and elsewhere, underscoring the wider risks of a conflict with global shipping and energy implications.