IRGC rejects US claim of Hormuz control, warns of response to US vessels

A senior IRGC official publicly rejected President Trump's assertion that the US controls the Strait of Hormuz, warning that US vessels entering Iran's declared restricted area would face a response from Iranian forces. This escalates rhetoric over the strategic chokepoint, though no direct military action is reported. The statement signals heightened risk of confrontation in a critical oil transit lane.