Iran warns US warships to stay away as Trump weighs new strikes

Iran said its armed forces are prepared to fire on US warships approaching its territory, as President Donald Trump indicated Washington may launch new attacks or continue pressure on Iran. The statement came amid heightened tensions following an eight-month war. Iranian Chief of General Staff Ali Abdollahi asserted the US Navy cannot re-enter Iranian territorial waters, saying American claims of destroyed Iranian capabilities contradict its refusal to bring carriers closer. He vowed to "drown" the US and Israel in a "quagmire" in retaliation for the February 28 surprise attack. Attacks on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz have driven Brent crude to about $117, its highest since April. Regional diplomats meeting in Istanbul opposed new attacks on Iran, while Iran-linked Houthis exchanged strikes with Saudi Arabia and Israeli air attacks continued in Lebanon.