Iran Escalates Hormuz Tensions: Ghalibaf Warns of 'Faster, Heavier' Response as US Strikes Tankers

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned on September 6, 2026, that any further US attacks on Iranian interests would elicit a 'faster, heavier, and more painful' response, marking a shift away from proportionate retaliation. The statement followed US Central Command strikes on three Iranian oil tankers—M/T Downy, M/T Stark 1, and M/T Kylo—in retaliation for Iranian ballistic missile launches toward a US aircraft carrier and destroyer in the region. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed attacks on three oil tankers using unauthorized routes in the Strait of Hormuz and three US-affiliated vessels, plus an unmanned US surface vessel. US officials described some Iranian claims, including successful hits on warships, as unverified or false, while confirming tanker strikes aimed at raising economic costs for Tehran. Oil flows through the Strait have partially recovered to about two-thirds of pre-conflict levels amid the ongoing naval blockade and escort operations. Analysts note the risk of miscalculation in this tanker war phase of the broader US-Iran conflict that began in February 2026.