US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth threatened Iran with a tenfold military response if it continues its attacks on commercial ships and countries in the region, noting that Tehran has wasted all available opportunities for negotiation as the escalation between the two sides continues for the tenth consecutive day, leading to the suspension of the memorandum of understanding signed between them last month.

According to Al Arabiya, Hegseth said during a press conference at the White House on the sidelines of a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun that Iran has missed every opportunity for communication and dialogue, and that President Trump has multiple options to deal with the escalation. He added: If they want to talk, they can talk; otherwise, they will face the US Department of War, and Iran possessed a large quantity of weapons, which represents a threat that requires a firm stance.

Related news

He continued: If Iran continues the attacks, we will strike them tenfold, day after day and night after night.

Change of course for 8 ships

The US Army announced on Tuesday that its forces changed the course of 8 commercial ships and disabled one ship since the resumption of the blockade on Iran, according to Al Arabiya.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps said on Tuesday that it had stopped two oil tankers trying to cross the Strait of Hormuz.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps reported, according to the official Iranian news agency IRNA: Two violating oil tankers that were trying to pass through the unsafe southern route of the Strait of Hormuz were stopped after explosions caused widespread fires on board.