Iran says it has a 'new operational plan' if the U.S. resumes attacks, as shipping vessels report strikes

Iran says it has prepared a new operational plan for any renewed attack by the United States and Israel. The warning matters because Tehran is signaling that a future response could be larger and less predictable than previous conflicts. It also raises the risk of wider regional escalation.

Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said the response would be “far more devastating” than the 12-day and 40-day wars. He added that Iran’s plan would not follow rules familiar to its opponents. The article links those references to attacks by Israel in June 2025 and the conflict triggered by the United States and Israel in February.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran would not surrender its sovereign rights under pressure but remained ready for dialogue. The article does not describe the new plan’s specific weapons, targets, or timing. Its immediate implication is uncertainty, alongside President Donald Trump’s statement that he would not use nuclear weapons or deploy ground troops in Iran.

The reported incidents involved several forms of maritime violence or attempted violence. A tug was hit by two unknown projectiles, an LNG tanker was approached by a small skiff whose occupants fired twice, and another tanker was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade from a small boat. These reports show different threats facing commercial traffic.

The UK Maritime Trade Operations office described the details. The tug was traveling south northeast of the United Arab Emirates. The LNG tanker was southwest of Yemen, where a seven-person skiff approached it. Its security team answered the two shots with two warning shots. A separate tanker northeast of Saudi Arabia reported the grenade attack on Friday.

The article does not identify the attackers in these vessel incidents. Separately, it reports that Saudi Arabia intercepted missiles over the Red Sea and destroyed drones. Together, the events increased concern about maritime safety and helped push crude oil prices higher as regional tensions mounted.

The UK Maritime Trade Operations, or UKMTO, is described in the article as British Navy-affiliated. It reports security incidents involving vessels in important waterways. Those reports give ship operators and crews a shared, timely picture of dangers at sea, especially when incidents are developing quickly.

In this article, UKMTO reported that a tug was hit by two unknown projectiles. It also recorded a skiff approaching an LNG tanker southwest of Yemen and firing twice. A separate tanker reported a rocket-propelled grenade attack. Such details identify the location, vessel type, weapon, and sequence of events, helping companies evaluate exposure.

The article does not explain UKMTO’s full structure or formal reporting procedures. In general, shipping companies can use these alerts to review routes, strengthen watchkeeping, brief crews, and coordinate security responses. Repeated reports can also signal that a waterway’s risk level is changing, potentially affecting schedules, insurance, and operating costs.

The article describes three separate attacks or attempted attacks against commercial vessels. Counting them matters because the incidents occurred in different nearby waters rather than at one single point. That pattern suggests a broad maritime security problem across routes around the Arabian Peninsula, although the article does not identify a common perpetrator.

The first incident involved a tug traveling south northeast of the United Arab Emirates, which was hit by two unknown projectiles. The second involved an LNG tanker southwest of Yemen. A small skiff with seven people approached and fired twice, while the tanker’s security team fired two warning shots. The third tanker, northeast of Saudi Arabia, was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade from a small boat.

The reports covered waters near the UAE, Yemen, and Saudi Arabia. Other attacks in the article involved missiles and drones over the Red Sea, but those targeted or threatened Saudi Arabia rather than commercial vessels. The different locations underline the region’s wide exposure.

The Red Sea, waters near Yemen, and the wider Arabian Peninsula are important shipping corridors because they connect major trading regions and energy-producing states. Large volumes of commercial cargo and fuel move through the area. The article focuses on attacks near these routes because insecurity can affect far more than the ships directly hit.

A vessel traveling southwest of Yemen was approached by a skiff and fired upon. Other reports involved a tug near the United Arab Emirates and a tanker northeast of Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia also intercepted missiles over the Red Sea, including one headed toward the Yanbu oil export terminal. These events show how threats can reach both shipping lanes and energy infrastructure.

The article does not provide traffic volumes or name specific global chokepoints. In general, continuing attacks could lead operators to delay voyages, reroute ships, add security measures, or face higher insurance costs. Those changes would make deliveries slower and more expensive, with effects spreading through energy and consumer markets.

Attacks near major shipping routes can lift crude prices because traders fear that oil deliveries may be delayed, rerouted, or interrupted. Even before a physical shortage appears, markets often price in the possibility of tighter supply. Security threats can also increase insurance, protection, and transportation costs for ships carrying energy.

The article gives a direct example. Brent crude reached $110 per barrel before settling at $109.86, up 3.7 percent. West Texas Intermediate settled at $101.41, up 3.5 percent. The price moves followed reports of vessel attacks, missile interceptions, and broader Middle East tensions. Saudi Arabia also reported attacks involving missiles, drones, and Aramco facilities.

If disruptions continue, oil could remain volatile or rise further, depending on how much supply and shipping capacity are affected. Some cargoes might take longer routes, while companies could face higher costs. The article does not forecast a specific price or quantify any possible shortage, so the longer-term effect remains uncertain.

Brent crude and West Texas Intermediate, or WTI, are benchmark prices used to track and trade crude oil. Brent is a major reference for international oil markets, while WTI is a key United States benchmark. The article uses both to show that regional tensions were reflected in more than one important market price.

After vessel attacks and rising Middle East tensions, Brent reached $110 per barrel before settling at $109.86, a 3.7 percent gain. WTI rose 3.5 percent to settle at $101.41. WTI had gained more than 10 percent the previous week, while Brent advanced nearly 5 percent. These figures show how traders reacted to perceived risks to supply and transport.

The benchmarks connect a regional conflict to worldwide energy costs through market expectations. If shipping becomes riskier, traders may anticipate tighter supply or higher delivery expenses and bid prices higher. Those benchmark movements can influence fuel, transport, and industrial costs, although the article does not quantify their effect on consumers.