The Persian Gulf erupted again tonight as Iran’s navy claimed it has “extracted revenge” by bombarding a U.S. vessel in what Tehran calls direct retaliation for last week’s deadly strike on an Iranian warship.

According to IRGC‑linked outlets, a mixed salvo of anti‑ship missiles, rockets and armed drones was launched from fast attack craft and hidden coastal batteries at a U.S. logistics ship escorting tankers through the northern Gulf. Grainy footage broadcast on Iranian TV shows streaks of fire arcing over the water, followed by a distant blast and rising smoke.

Iran’s naval commander declared that “the blood of our sailors has been answered,” boasting of “multiple confirmed hits” and warning that any American hull entering “our combat zone” will face the same fate. Crowds in Tehran chanted “Death to America” as state media rolled the headline: “REVENGE EXTRACTED.”

U.S. Central Command confirms an “attack on a support vessel,” citing injuries and damage to the superstructure but insisting the ship remains afloat and operational. Officials dismiss Iran’s victory claims as “inflated propaganda,” yet admit privately that escalation at sea has crossed into a dangerous tit‑for‑tat spiral.

With Iranian missiles now openly hunting U.S. ships, and Washington vowing a “measured but crushing” response, naval analysts warn the Gulf is slipping from tense standoff to undeclared war zone—where one more barrage could drag the entire region into a full‑scale maritime conflict.