Tehran warns of ‘crushing’ response to US ‘aggression’ as ceasefire collapses

WEB DESK: The Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, Iran’s primary operational military command, has issued a defiant warning to the United States and its allies, vowing to respond “without the slightest hesitation” to any further acts of aggression.

The statement, released late on Thursday night, follows a sharp breakdown in regional stability after a fragile ceasefire was shattered by lethal military exchanges in the Strait of Hormuz.

Spokesman Ebrahim Zolfaghari stated that Iranian forces remain on high alert to defend national sovereignty against what Tehran describes as Western provocations.

This rhetorical shift signals a move away from recent diplomacy toward a readiness for sustained military confrontation if territorial integrity is challenged.

Accusations of ‘Terrorist’ Conduct

The latest escalation stems from claims by Iranian officials that the US military targeted civilian infrastructure and commercial shipping within the Hormozgan province.

According to the military headquarters, recent American airstrikes hit several locations, including Qeshm Island and Bandar-e Khamir, which Tehran maintains resulted in civilian casualties and damage to non-military assets.

“The criminal and aggressive United States and its allied countries must understand that the Islamic Republic will not stand idly by,” the statement read.

Tehran has further accused Washington of “maritime terrorism” following the reported interception of an Iranian-flagged oil tanker near Fujairah an incident Iran claims triggered its recent barrage of drone and missile strikes against Western naval vessels.

A region on the brink

In the hours following the announcement, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy confirmed it had conducted a “combined operation” involving high-precision ballistic missiles aimed at US destroyers.

While Washington’s Central Command (CENTCOM) has stated that most projectiles were successfully intercepted, the intensity of the volleys suggests a dangerous new phase in the conflict.

Military analysts suggest that the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters is now directing a coordinated strategy involving both conventional forces and proxy groups across the Middle East.

With Tehran warning that its response will be “powerful and unhesitating,” international observers fear that further miscalculations in the world’s most vital oil transit point could trigger a wider regional war with global economic consequences.