US Sanctions Spark Harsh Warning from Iran as Middle East Tensions Escalate

The US has announced new sanctions on Iran, prompting a harsh warning from Tehran that any escalation would bring 'consequences'. Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said their hands are not tied, and any country supporting the sanctions will be seen as an 'act of war'. The sanctions come after weeks of impasse over reopening the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's traded oil passes.

Iran demands the US lift its naval blockade, withdraw forces from the region, and provide reparations for damages sustained in the war. China has warned that new sanctions will 'escalate the situation', saying they will not help resolve the issue but only exacerbate tensions.

In related news, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed Iran attempted to assassinate one of his sons. He also accused Hamas of trying to murder one of his sons in an overnight airstrike, which killed a militant affiliated with Hamas' special forces unit.