Iran07 September, 20263 min read
Pete Hegseth Warns Iran After U.S. Attacks Disable Three Iranian Oil Tankers
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US forces attacked and disabled three Iranian oil tankers linked to IRGC. Pete Hegseth warned Iran: if it targets US ships, US will destroy its oil tankers.
War footing and shipping
Defense analyst Wolfgang Pistorius (Wolfgang Pistai) said Iran is preparing for a long-term war, at least from a military perspective, while arguing that Iran still retains the capacity to target shipping vessels traversing the Strait of Hormuz.
“Iran is preparing for a long-term war, at least from a military perspective.”
Pistorius said the major challenge for President Donald Trump is political, adding that if Democrats gain control of Congress in the upcoming midterm elections, it does not necessarily mean the conflict will end.
He suggested the United States might rely even more heavily on economic pressure and alternative financial strategies rather than direct military action, while naval blockades in the Strait of Hormuz are also expected to continue.
In the same broader context of maritime pressure, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth warned that “if Iran shoots at U.S. ships, we will destroy (and sink) their oil tankers.”
Hegseth’s remarks came shortly after U.S. forces attacked and disabled three Iranian oil tankers linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, after the military organization launched ballistic missiles at two American warships, according to U.S. Central Command.
Iran condemns, U.S. threatens
Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the U.S. attacks on three Iranian oil tankers on Saturday, calling them a "war crime," and warned Washington and its allies they would be held responsible for any further escalation.
The ministry accused the United States of carrying out a broader campaign of military and economic pressure against Iran and asserted that the attacks violated Article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter.
In response to the same tanker-focused escalation, political analyst Dr. Khalid Bathroughi said targeting tankers shifts the confrontation from military sites to the Iranian economy’s lifeblood.
Bathroughi said in a statement on the air of "Al-Ikhbariyah Radio" that this targeting is favorable because the confrontation is no longer limited to military sites, missile launchers, bases, and military facilities but has moved to the Iranian economy’s lifeblood.
He added that the waters of the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz would become a site of direct threat to energy and international trade as Iran can respond in kind to tankers connected to the United States and nearby countries.
South Korea warned, Tehran vows
Iran warned South Korea that any South Korean military intervention in the Arabian Gulf and the Hormuz Strait would have "serious consequences," as Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Saeed Khatibzadeh said Tehran values its cordial relations with Seoul. Khatibzadeh said any military presence or intervention by another country in the Arabian Gulf and the Hormuz Strait "will be seen as direct support for the aggressor and will lead to serious consequences." On the same day, the South Korean Foreign Ministry said on September 7 that Seoul remains in close contact with the international community regarding the situation in the Middle East and naval activity through the Hormuz Strait.
In Tehran, a separate Iranian military message emphasized readiness, with Rear Admiral Irani saying, “Given the progress we have made, we can cripple the enemy anywhere, if necessary.” The statement also said the enemy has been caught off guard in various operations and that the armed forces’ movements are monitored momentarily and in real time, as the main mission is to prevent the enemy from achieving its malicious goals.