Iran's IRGC Poised for Retaliation Amid US Tensions, Trump Challenged

WHO:

ABC News - President Donald Trump announced "major combat operations" against Iran.

ABC News - Hossein Mohebbi is a spokesman for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

ABC News - Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf is the Iranian parliament speaker.

Alternet - The U.S. State Department is involved in the situation regarding the Strait of Hormuz.

WHAT:

ABC News - Trump announced "major combat operations" against Iran on Feb. 28.

ABC News - The U.S. and Iran entered negotiations in June aimed at a war-ending deal.

ABC News - The UKMTO reported that a tanker was "struck by an unknown projectile" in the Strait of Hormuz, injuring at least two crew members.

ABC News - Mohebbi stated that “the war has not ended” and the IRGC is “prepared for a long-term war.”

ABC News - Mohebbi claimed that Iran’s “targets are no longer necessarily the same as before.”

ABC News - The U.S. State Department stated that standard shipping routes are currently unreliable or unavailable.

Alternet - The U.S. hired another company for $26,908 to move the embassy’s freight through an unspecified alternative route.

WHERE:

ABC News - The Strait of Hormuz is a primary flashpoint in the conflict.

ABC News - The tanker incident occurred in the Strait of Hormuz.

Alternet - The U.S. Embassy in Kuwait requires regular shipments of supplies that typically move through the Strait of Hormuz.

WHEN:

ABC News - Trump announced "major combat operations" against Iran on Feb. 28.

ABC News - The U.S. and Iran entered negotiations in June.

Alternet - Trump made statements regarding the Strait of Hormuz on Aug. 17, Aug. 26, Aug. 27, and Sept. 9.

Alternet - A statement from Maersk was released on Sept. 16 regarding shipping routes.

WHY:

ABC News - The U.S. and Iran continued to exchange strikes, leading to stalled peace talks.

ABC News - Ghalibaf stated that Tehran will not allow the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz until all of its conditions have been met.

HOW:

ABC News - Mohebbi indicated that Iran plans to use new weapons and tactics in the event of renewed fighting.

Alternet - The U.S. State Department is avoiding the Strait of Hormuz due to the current security situation, which is described as "fluid and subject to sudden escalation."

(UPDATED September 22, 2026 01:22 UTC)

President Trump has announced "major combat operations" against Iran, escalating tensions in a conflict that has already seen stalled peace talks. The U.S. State Department is currently navigating a complex security situation in the Strait of Hormuz, where a recent tanker incident injured at least two crew members and highlighted the unreliability of standard shipping routes. Meanwhile, Iranian officials, including spokesman Hossein Mohebbi and parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, have indicated that they are prepared for a prolonged conflict, with Mohebbi stating that Iran's military targets have evolved.