Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed on Wednesday it attacked two US vessels and eight oil tankers in the Gulf in response to what it called a US attack on five Iranian tankers, Iranian state media reported, citing a statement from the group.

The group said it attacked 10 ships attempting to cross what it described as a “prohibited and unsafe” area of the Strait of Hormuz.

Earlier on Wednesday, the IRGC confirmed in a statement on Iranian media that it had attacked a US base in the eastern Jordanian city of Al Azraq with ballistic missiles in retaliation for earlier US attacks on Iranian oil tankers. 

This came following reports of missiles being launched from 12 different cities across Iran in the heaviest barrage since the end of Operation Roaring Lion, Army Radio reported late Tuesday night, citing Iranian media. 

At least 35 missiles were launched towards Jordan, according to Israeli news outlets, activating sirens in the country’s US military base. 

Jordan’s state news agency, citing armed forces, reported that 20 ballistic missiles had been launched from Iranian territory, 18 of which were destroyed by Jordanian air defense systems. 

Two missiles fell in unpopulated areas, and there were no casualties, the news agency cited Jordan’s military as saying.

Monitoring and assessment operations were continuing, the agency reported.

Jordan has not yet confirmed reports of the strikes. 

A US official told Jerusalem Post earlier on Tuesday that CENTCOM had struck the tankers as Iranian media outlets reported explosions near Kharg Island.

According to Iran‘s Mehr News Agency, there were explosions heard in the vicinity of the Iranian oil hub, which serves as the country’s main point for refining and exporting oil.

An additional report by semi-official Tasnim News Agency reported that the attacks on the Iranian vessels left no casualties, with the tripulation aboard being evacuated.

The report, citing local sources, also said the targeted vessel was about four miles from Kharg Island.

Additionally, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday, citing US officials, that Iran had launched an attack against US Navy ships on Monday. 

US forces struck multiple Iranian tankers tied to the IRGC in response to the attempted attack, according to a US official. CENTCOM confirmed later that it had destroyed five Iranian crude oil tankers on Tuesday.

WSJ’s report confirmed, citing US officials, that no American ships were struck in Iran’s Monday attacks.

US, Iran, advance threats

Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters (the central command of the Iranian Army) warned the US that if its vessels were struck, then it would reply with strikes against American interests in the Middle East, Reuters reported, citing Iran’s state media.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said early on Wednesday that ships in Kuwaiti and Bahraini ports that host Americans will be targeted in response to US attacks on Iranian oil tankers.

The Guards Navy warned all crews to evacuate, according to a statement carried by state media.

Additionally, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned Iran on Tuesday that the US would continue to strike Iranian oil tankers in retaliation for attempted attacks on US warships.

“Iran continues to try to hit Us naval ships, and for every time they do that or try to do that, they’re going to lose tankers,” Rubio told reporters during a visit to Colombia.

Iran ready to announce restricted zone in Strait of Hormuz

The American attack happened days after Mohsen Rezaei, the Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said that a restricted zone was planned to be announced outside the Strait of Hormuz soon.

The Sunday announcement, reported by state media, detailed that the zone would include areas in the Gulf.

Rezaei added that maps of ships’ passage in the Strait of Hormuz, agreed upon with Oman, would also be signed in the coming days.

This post was originally published on here.