Iran army warns war could expand if US strikes continue ahead of Netanyahu visit

Tehran announced on Sunday that it has ceased all recent retaliatory actions against U.S. and allied vessels in the Persian Gulf, but warned that the conflict could widen if American strikes on Iranian‑linked targets persist. The statement, delivered by the Iranian Foreign Ministry, came after a series of incidents that began in early April when U.S. forces carried out airstrikes on militia groups in Iraq and Syria that Tehran describes as proxies of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. In response, Iranian forces seized a commercial tanker, fired missiles at U.S. warships, and reported multiple drone attacks on shipping routes, prompting heightened alerts across the region.

Iranian officials emphasized that the pause in hostilities is “temporary” and contingent on the cessation of U.S. operations, noting that any further American aggression would force Tehran to expand its defensive measures beyond the Gulf. The United Nations and several European nations have called for restraint, urging both sides to engage in diplomatic channels to prevent escalation. Analysts say the development underscores the fragile balance in a strategically vital waterway where any broadened conflict could disrupt global oil supplies and destabilize broader Middle‑East security dynamics.