Middle East conflict: US destroys Iranian-linked dhow as Tehran shifts tactics near Hormuz
US forces destroyed an Iranian-linked dhow in the Gulf of Oman after it targeted US ships
Highlights
IRGC general: Iran’s war is on a par with the world wars
Brigadier General Yadollah Javani, the IRGC’s deputy for political affairs, said the conflict could have consequences comparable to the two world wars and could change the global balance of power.
Iran’s IRNA agency reported that he said the war is not officially labelled a world war, but global public opinion treats it as one.
He said it has the same nature as the First and Second World Wars, which changed the global order and created new realities.
Javani said Iran has moved past the danger of a surprise attack and is ready to respond to any enemy error. Analysts say the comments show a hardline mindset in Tehran that is increasingly unwilling to back down, despite the risk of renewed US attacks.
Javani says US and Israeli military operations against Iran began on 28 February with airstrikes. He says their aims included destroying Iran’s nuclear capabilities and missile defences, and ultimately toppling the Islamic Republic.
On Tuesday he claimed a different message. Speaking in Bandar Abbas, he said Iran had won a “strategic victory” and that it is stronger than before the war.
A US military official told Reuters that Iran is using unarmed spotters in small boats to help pick targets. The report did not idenfity the official.
Iran is suffering increasingly severe consequences from the confrontation. The same report points to an IMF finding that Iran faces a worse economic outlook than war-hit regional rivals.
IRGC says cargo ship with 2,500 containers sank in Hormuz after naval mine strike
The IRGC Navy said on Wednesday that a container ship laden with more than 2,500 containers sank in waters south of the Strait of Hormuz after striking a naval mine and catching fire. No independent report exists to validate IRGC's claim of a mine strike in what Tehran claims as an "unauthorised" and "dangerous" route near Oman. IRGC-affiliated media posted footage of the sinking, showing the ship going up in smoke, while debris and cargo consistent with containers in the water.
Attacks on vessels intensify
Attacks on vessels in and around the Strait of Hormuz have intensified, with at least 10 ships struck since Sunday, the highest number over the period since the US-Israel war with Iran began.
Top Iran official says country must prepare for war as it negotiates
Iran must be prepared for war even as it negotiates with the U.S., the country's parliament speaker said Wednesday.
Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said in a televised speech that his country's main concern is preventing the United States from attacking again. But, he added, a signed agreement with Washington is no guarantee.
"They break their promises," said Qalibaf. As a result, Iran must be prepared to fight "against a bullying enemy," and "we must truly fight courageously on the battlefield."
"That is when we will have achieved sustainable deterrence," he said. "America must be punished. America must change its behavior. It must understand that it has to come to terms with the Iranian people."
Tehran using unarmed 'spotters' to help target vessels in Hormuz: report
Iran's IRGC has shifted tactics by using "unarmed spotters", Reuters reported. A US military official, speaking anonymously, told the news agency agency that after the US destroyed much of Iran’s radar capability, the IRGC began using unarmed spotters in small boats to identify and track potential targets, including US naval vessels, in and around Hormuz.
The official described a previously unreported incident last week in which Iranian spotters on a dhow were "calling in" targets to the IRGC. US forces told the occupants to abandon the dhow, a traditional wooden sailing vessel, and then destroyed it. Maritime security analysis of attacks reported to UKMTO suggests Iran may already be targeting ships beyond the Strait itself.
Two senior Iranian officials told Reuters that Iran is using new tactics to keep oil prices high and influence the US midterm elections. They said the change involves both the type and the pace of attacks.
Iran’s own rhetoric matches this: Mohsen Rezaei, a powerful figure in the Tehran regime, told state TV that Iran targets five or six vessels every night and that Hormuz is under Iranian control. The "shuttle system" involving ship-to-ship transfers of crude oil outside Hormuz Strait is described as an explicit Iranian target.
Yemen's Houthis seek Chinese parts for ballistic missiles: report
Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels are attempting to build a new advanced medium-range ballistic missile system with the help of Chinese parts, according to a new report released Wednesday by a group that tracks the use of weapons in conflict zones.
The report by the UK-based Conflict Armament Research group came as the Houthis, in their ongoing war with Saudi Arabia, are demonstrating remarkable ability to wreak havoc on one of the Middle East’s best equipped militaries.
The weaponry under development could help the group more precisely target the Saudis and Israel. By turning to China, it also appears to be a sign of increasing independence.
Iran claims mine sank cargo ship near Hormuz as shipping attacks escalate
Iran’s IRGC claimed a container ship laden with more than 2,500 containers was struck by a naval mine and sank south of the Strait of Hormuz.
The Guards claimed the commercial vessel was attempting what Tehran terms an “unauthorised and dangerous” route off the coast of Omani. It showed footage of a thick black smoke billowing out of a large containership listing heavily, a tug alongside.
Tehran Times posted on X a video showing floating debris consistent with containers late on Thursday. There's no immediate independent verification of the mine strike incident.
Crew rescued before Iranian-affiliated dhow's destruction
US forces destroyed an Iranian-affiliated dhow in the Gulf of Oman on October 6 after identifying it as conducting surveillance and targeting US Navy ships, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a post on X.
CENTCOM said the vessel’s crew members were safely removed before the dhow was destroyed, adding that efforts to repatriate them are ongoing.
The US military command also accused Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of continuing to target civilian mariners and US Navy warships in regional waters over the past seven months.
