Iran Braces for War as Tensions with US in the Strait of Hormuz Escalate

Tehran – Tensions between Iran and the US in the Strait of Hormuz continue to escalate after Iranian media reported that a US warship was hit by two missiles after ignoring warnings, while Washington denied the incident.

According to Fars news agency, which is close to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the unnamed warship was forced to retreat from the area near the port of Jask on Monday and "fled." The US military immediately issued a statement on social media rejecting the report.

Hours earlier, General Ali Abdollahi, Iran's joint military commander, warned that US forces would be attacked if they violated the Strait of Hormuz. He declared that Iran's military would "maintain and manage the security of the Strait of Hormuz with full force" in response to President Donald Trump's statement Sunday that the US would "lead the way" for ships stranded due to the US-Israel war with Iran.

Iran's Foreign Ministry confirmed that Tehran is reviewing the latest text from Washington, delivered via Pakistan, but called for a more "realistic" approach from Trump. Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei told reporters: "At this stage, the Tehran administration will not discuss anything other than a complete end to the war."

Nearly a month after a temporary ceasefire ended large-scale fighting, Iran's government is working to rebuild its missile and drone capabilities in case war resumes, including excavating bombed entrances to underground bases housing weapons and equipment.

The war entering its 10th week, a near-total internet blockade affecting more than 90 million Iranians remains in place for "security" reasons. The government says these measures will remain in effect until the war ends.

The 'Jan Fadaa' campaign

The government's main public mobilization campaign is called "Jan Fadaa" (one ready to sacrifice for a cause). Volunteers can register through a state-run website, needing only a phone number, no ID required.

Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei called this campaign "one of the main factors in negotiations with the enemy." The president, parliament speaker, and many other officials praised the initiative, declaring themselves "proud" representatives of its members. Judiciary Chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei called it a "historic" event.

Iranian state media has aired numerous interviews with campaign participants expressing their willingness to make sacrifices. A man accompanied by his family told Mehr news agency: "I will be on the battlefield with my family as long as necessary" and is ready to "fight to the death."

The Jan Fadaa campaign claims to have over 31 million active members, equivalent to more than a third of Iran's population or over half the population aged 12 and above. However, the government has not released supporting documents. This figure comes months after thousands died in nationwide protests in January.

The campaign has drawn criticism from Iranians abroad who oppose the government. Some argue that actual registration numbers are much lower. Ali Sharifi Zarchi, a former professor now a dissident, said design flaws on the campaign's website exposed backend data, showing fewer than four million registered.

Critics also noted that no specific event, including the April 8 ceasefire, significantly affected the registration figures updated on the website. They argued the numbers were being artificially inflated. After criticism, the campaign began reporting much lower new registration counts.

The campaign's newly appointed spokesman, Sasan Zare, denied all allegations and attacked Sharifi Zarchi for "lending a platform to serve the enemies of the people." He said over 60% of registrants were women and "the majority" were aged 20-45. Zare also said the campaign is about to leave its current "symbolic" state and will soon call on those registered to take part in state-assigned activities, to be announced later.