The Gulf region is bracing for Tehran's response to the US strikes on southern Iran which CENTCOM insisted that they were in “self-defence”, signalling that they were not meant to breach the fragile ceasefire, yet making it clear that the US retains the upper hand and the initiative in the complex negotiations to end the Iran war.
Tehran has neither officially confirmed nor denied the overnight US strikes, but Iranian army spokesperson Abolfazl Shekarchi told Fars news agency on Tuesday that any new attack on Iran will generate a “far more severe” response beyond the region and will be heavier than before.
The Iranian media reported that three explosions were heard in Bandar Abbas region, offering no further details.
However, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said in a statement that it had detected and tracked an MQ-9 drone, an RQ-4 drone, and an intruding F-35 fighter jet.
The IRGC also warned against any violation of the ceasefire by what it described as the “aggressor US military,” adding that it considers its right to retaliate to be “legitimate” and “certain”.
