Iran’s Guards warn US vessels during drill in Gulf

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps kicks off naval wargames in the Gulf, issuing warnings to US warships in the area, more than five months after the 12-day war with Israel that briefly drew in American forces. State TV says the drill showcases the “sacrifice and spirit of resistance” of the IRGC’s naval forces “to confront any threat” against Iran following the June war.

Naval units “issued warnings to American vessels present in the region, conveying their firm message,” the report says, though the content of the messages is not immediately clear and US forces in the Gulf do not comment. State media adds that the Guards deployed air-defense systems under electronic-warfare conditions that “were able to detect aerial and maritime targets using artificial intelligence.”

The Gulf, and the strategic Strait of Hormuz at its bottleneck leading to the Sea of Oman, channels about 20 percent of the world’s oil exports each year. On Wednesday, IRGC deputy commander‑in‑chief Ali Fadavi said “no country can diminish the role of the Strait of Hormuz,” vowing the Guards’ protection of the waterway. (Source)