US and Iran exchange warnings as tensions rise in Middle Eastern waters

The United States military has issued a direct warning to Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), telling it not to take 'escalatory' or 'unsafe' actions in strategic international waterways. The US also announced it had deported three former IRGC members who entered the country and offered a large reward for information on IRGC vessels.

In response, senior Iranian military commanders have issued strong warnings, with the IRGC chief stating they have their 'finger on the trigger' and are ready to deliver a 'crushing response' to any new US assault. Iran's military also announced plans for live-fire exercises in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil shipping lane.