Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced on Saturday that it had carried out retaliatory strikes on several US installations in the Gulf region. The action was described as a response to recent American attacks on Iranian targets, which Washington said were in retaliation for an assault on a commercial vessel in the Strait of Hormuz. The IRGC warned that any further aggression would prompt a broader response.

The United States had earlier accused Tehran of being behind the attack on the Singapore-flagged ship Ever Lovely. The incident came just a week after the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at ending hostilities, raising hopes for de-escalation. However, the renewed military exchanges have cast doubt on that fragile peace process.

The Strait of Hormuz is a vital global energy corridor, carrying about one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas supply. Analysts warn that renewed conflict in the area could destabilize global energy markets once again.