Al Jazeera reported that Iran stated it is prepared to respond to "imminent" strikes from the United States and Israel. This follows Iran's attack on four vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and hitting three others with mines, claiming these ships were linked to and encouraged by the U.S. to traverse the waterway. Iran views the U.S. blockade against it as an act of war, and these attacks represent a new strategy to counter the blockade, marking a significant escalation of the situation. Tehran stated it is ready for the escalation and has been anticipating U.S.-Israeli strikes.