Headline News

14, July 2026

Yaoundé: Martinez Zogo murder trial resumes ⁰

The trial over the murder of Cameroonian journalist Martinez Zogo resumes on July 13 before the Yaoundé Military Court, with proceedings focused on the continued cross-examination of cybercrime expert Jean-Pierre Ouloumou, who analyzed mobile phones seized during the investigation.

The hearing picks up after proceedings were suspended on June 23 by presiding judge Colonel Jacques Baudouin Misse Njonè at the expert’s request after he showed signs of fatigue following two days of testimony. Accredited by Cameroon’s Ministry of Justice to serve courts in Yaoundé and Douala, Ouloumou was appointed in 2023 by then-investigating judge Lieutenant Colonel Aimé Florent Sikati Kamwo II. His assignment was to examine phones seized during the investigation into the kidnapping, torture, and killing of Martinez Zogo, whose body was found near Yaoundé in January 2023.

Digital evidence comes under close scrutiny

When the expert’s report was presented to the court on June 22 and 23, it triggered tense exchanges with lawyers representing the civil parties, who sought explanations on several issues they consider unresolved.

Among the questions raised was why Ouloumou had recommended that investigating authorities release businessman Jean-Pierre Amougou Belinga, one of the main defendants. Lawyers for the civil parties argued that by making such a recommendation, the expert may have exceeded the technical scope of his assignment. They also questioned why that recommendation applied only to Amougou Belinga, even though Ouloumou said he had found no incriminating evidence on the phones of two other defendants.

Another issue concerned claims made in court by some defense lawyers that the expert had approached them in an attempt to influence their position. Ouloumou did not confirm those allegations during his testimony.

Defense resumes questioning

The hearing will resume where it left off, with questions from Jacques Mbuny, counsel for Lieutenant Colonel Justin Danwe, the former director of operations at the General Directorate for External Research (DGRE), who is among the principal defendants.

The DGRE occupies a central place in the prosecution’s case, as the investigation implicated alleged members of the intelligence service in the journalist’s kidnapping and murder. However, the court has yet to determine the criminal responsibility of each defendant.

After Mbuny’s questioning, lawyers for the remaining defendants are expected to examine the expert. A total of 17 people are standing trial in the case. Prosecutors will then have the opportunity to re-examine the witness and address issues raised during cross-examination.

Two days of hearings

Hearings are scheduled for July 13 and 14. They are expected to clarify the scope and significance of the cellphone forensic report, which has emerged as one of the main points of contention between the civil parties, the defense, and the prosecution.

Beyond the data extracted from the devices, the court will also assess Ouloumou’s methodology, the limits of his assignment, and the evidentiary value of his conclusions in a case where technical forensic evidence has become increasingly central.

Source: Sbbc

14, July 2026

Buea: UB mourns Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter Sakwe Masumbe ⁰

The University of Buea (UB) has been plunged into mourning following the death of Professor Peter Sakwe Masumbe, Deputy Vice-Chancellor in charge of Internal Control and Evaluation, whose passing has left a deep void within the institution and the country’s higher education sector.

The sad news was officially announced by the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Buea, Professor Horace Ngomo Manga, in a memorandum dated July 10, 2026, addressed to members of the university community. In the message, the Vice-Chancellor expressed profound sorrow over the passing of the senior academic administrator, who died on Monday, July 6, 2026.

“It is with profound sadness and deep regret that I announce to the entire University of Buea Community the death of Professor Peter Sakwe Masumbe,” the Vice-Chancellor stated, describing the loss as one that has deeply affected the institution.

Professor Masumbe served as Deputy

Vice-Chancellor in charge of Internal Control and Evaluation, a strategic position he assumed in June 2022. Throughout his tenure, he played a pivotal role in strengthening the university’s internal control mechanisms and evaluation systems, contributing significantly to institutional accountability, quality assurance and effective administrative oversight.

As Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Masumbe was entrusted with ensuring transparency and efficiency in the university’s internal governance structures. His office was instrumental in monitoring institutional performance and supporting the implementation of policies aimed at improving academic and administrative standards within the University of Buea.

Colleagues who worked closely with him remember him as a committed academic, disciplined administrator and a humble leader whose dedication to service earned him the respect of staff, students and stakeholders alike.

In his condolence message, Professor Ngomo Manga called on members of the University of Buea community to keep the late professor and his bereaved family in their thoughts and prayers during this difficult period.

He further disclosed that details concerning the funeral programme and institutional arrangements to honour Professor Masumbe’s memory would be communicated in due course. “Members of the UB Community are requested to keep Professor Masumbe and his family in their thoughts and prayers. Details of the funeral programme and any institutional arrangements to honour his memory will be communicated in due course,” the memorandum stated.

The announcement has generated an outpouring of sympathy from members of the university community, alumni and well wishers, many of whom have described the late professor as an accomplished scholar and dedicated servant whose contributions to higher education will not be forgotten.

Professor Masumbe’s death comes at a time when the University of Buea continues to pursue reforms aimed at strengthening institutional governance and improving academic excellence. His experience and commitment to internal control and evaluation were widely regarded as essential to achieving those objectives.

As the university community reflects on his legacy, many have praised his professionalism, integrity and unwavering commitment to the advancement of the institution.

The University of Buea, one of Cameroon’s leading state universities, has extended its heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family while assuring that the institution will appropriately honour the life and service of the late Deputy Vice-Chancellor.

Professor Peter Sakwe Masumbe leaves behind a legacy of dedicated public service, academic excellence and institutional leadership that will continue to inspire future generations within the University of Buea and beyond.

May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace

Source: The Sun Newspaper

14, July 2026

Iran launches missile strikes on US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, airbase in Jordan ⁰

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has struck multiple US military facilities in Bahrain, including the headquarters of the US Fifth Fleet, as well as American targets in Jordan with missiles in follow-up retaliation against continued American violations.

The Corps announced the latest stages of its reprisal in three consecutive statements on Tuesday.

The first statement reported retaliatory strikes by the IRGC Navy against several weapons support depots, a satellite communications center, accommodation used by US troops, and several military radar systems in Bahrain. The strikes, it added, “destroyed” the targets.

In a subsequent statement, the Corps said its Aerospace Force had conducted “coordinated missile and drone strikes” against the US Fifth Fleet’s headquarters, setting its fuel storage facilities “ablaze.”

“They also struck and destroyed a Patriot radar system, the Fifth Fleet’s air-control radar, and a C-RAM early warning radar system.”

14, July 2026

Douala: 15 crew members rescued after cargo ship collision ⁰

All 15 crew members aboard a cargo ship were rescued early Sunday after it collided with another vessel near Douala, Cameroon’s main port city, authorities said.

According to the Port Authority of Douala, the collision involved the outbound MV Sea Honor and the inbound MV Black Rhino.

Rescue teams responded swiftly, evacuating all crew members from the MV Black Rhino before launching operations to clear the shipping channel.

The MV Sea Honor was escorted to the anchorage area, while the MV Black Rhino was intentionally run aground to ensure the safety of the navigation channel. Authorities confirmed later on Sunday that the channel was fully reopened.

“No casualties were reported,” the port authority said in a statement. “Both vessels sustained significant material damage, and navigation was temporarily disrupted.”

Preliminary findings indicate that a loss of steering control aboard the MV Black Rhino was the likely cause of the collision. A full technical investigation is underway.

Source: Xinhuanet

13, July 2026

Minister Mengot and Chief Tabetando: Politics must never trump humanity ⁰

Minister Victor Mengot, the political boss of the great Manyu constituency was conspicuously absent from the funeral of the late Senate Vice President His Royal Highness Chief George Tabetando.

Minister Victor Mengot’s reported absence from all the funeral rituals in honour of the late Chief Tabetando allegedly because of political differences, is deeply disappointing. To be more accurate, it is shameful, disgusting and disgraceful to the entire Manyu community and calls for a new kind of political leadership to represent Manyus in Yaoundé.

Victor Mengot’s decision is not only unfortunate but it reflects a troubling disregard for basic Cameroonian values of respect, compassion and national unity.

For men like Minister Victor Mengot who do not know, a funeral is not a political rally in Mamfe, Yaoundé or Douala. It is a solemn occasion where family, friends, colleagues and even political rivals come together in harmony to honor a life that has ended.

Throughout Cameroonian history, leaders have set aside their differences at moments of grief because death reminds us of our shared humanity. Political disagreements should never become an excuse to withhold respect from someone who served the nation.

Chief George Tabetando’s passing should have been an opportunity for all Manyu leaders particularly those of the ruling CPDM party regardless of political affiliation or personal disagreements to demonstrate maturity and statesmanship. Choosing not to attend Chief Tabetando’s funeral solely because of political differences sends the wrong message to the Cameroonian people. It suggests that political rivalry is more important than decency and that division outweighs dignity.

Minister Victor Mengot’s conduct deserves very strong criticism because it undermines the values expected of public officials in a Cameroon going through very difficult time. Citizens look to their leaders not only for policy decisions but also for examples of character. At times of national mourning, leadership is measured by humility, empathy and the willingness to rise above partisan conflict.

If Minister Victor Mengot’s absence was indeed motivated by political differences, it was a shameful, disgraceful and deeply regrettable choice. The post of a cabinet minister in the Biya government carries responsibilities that extend beyond politics. Respect for the deceased and sympathy for grieving families should transcend personal or political disputes.

The nation deserves leaders who can disagree fiercely in public life yet still stand together in moments of loss. That is the hallmark of true leadership and democratic maturity. Politics is temporary; respect for human dignity should be permanent.

To say that President Biya sent Minister Mengot on a mission abroad on the same day that His Royal Highness Chief Tabetando was going home to rest, is simply not true.

Minister Victor Mengot will want Manyus to forget this nasty action! But Manyus as a people will never forget.

To this I put my name

Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai

Chairman/Editor-In-Chief

Cameroon Concord Group

13, July 2026

Southern Cameroons Crisis still disrupts healthcare despite decline in attacks ⁰

Violence and disruptions targeting healthcare services declined in Cameroon’s English-speaking Northwest and Southwest regions in 2025, but medical workers continue to face kidnappings, assaults, arrests, and extortion that threaten access to care, according to a report published on July 10, 2026, by the Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition (SHCC).

The report recorded 22 incidents affecting healthcare services in 2025, down from 30 in 2024 and 25 in 2023. The improvement comes as fighting between separatist groups and government forces approaches its tenth year. Although the overall number of attacks has fallen, insecurity continues to undermine healthcare delivery in the regions most affected by the conflict.

“A total of 22 incidents of violence against or obstruction of healthcare were reported in the Anglophone regions in 2025, compared with 30 in 2024 and 25 in 2023,” the report, Cameroon: Violence Against Health Care in Conflict 2025, states.

Uneven progress across departments

The decline was not evenly distributed across the two regions. According to the SHCC, incidents decreased in parts of Mezam and Momo in the Northwest but rose slightly in Boyo and Bui. In the Southwest, attacks on healthcare services continued in the Fako department.

The report documented at least 16 healthcare workers kidnapped in nine separate incidents in the Northwest during 2025. While the number of victims matched that recorded in 2024, the kidnappings occurred across more incidents. In 2023, five healthcare workers were abducted in six incidents.

“At least 16 healthcare workers were reportedly abducted in nine incidents in the Northwest Region in 2025, compared with 16 in five incidents in 2024 and five in six incidents in 2023,” the SHCC said. Most kidnappings were reported in the Bui and Ngoketunjia departments, whereas Mezam had recorded more cases in 2024. The shift suggests the threat has moved geographically rather than disappeared.

Ransoms of up to CFA10 million

According to the report, separatists and unidentified armed attackers intercepted healthcare workers at illegal checkpoints while they were traveling to remote communities. Others were abducted from health facilities or their homes. Some were reportedly accused of collaborating with opposing forces, while others were released after ransoms ranging from CFA5 million to CFA10 million were paid.

“Some kidnapped healthcare workers were released after ransoms ranging from CFA5 million to CFA10 million were paid to their captors. Others were abducted and accused by their captors of collaborating with opposing forces,” the coalition said.

Healthcare workers were also reportedly assaulted for refusing to treat fighters or to pay levies imposed by armed groups. Ambulances were likewise subjected to extortion during lockdowns declared by separatists.

Healthcare workers also arrested by police

The report documents not only abuses attributed to armed groups but also arrests carried out by Cameroonian security forces. Between May and June 2025, nine healthcare workers were reportedly arrested in six incidents, compared with 19 people in four incidents in 2024 and seven people in four incidents in 2023.

The arrests were reported in Fako in the Southwest and in the Boyo, Momo, and Donga-Mantung departments in the Northwest. Those detained were reportedly suspected of collaborating with separatist groups or providing them with medical treatment. “The Cameroonian police also raided health facilities in Fako department while searching for opposition fighters, disrupting the delivery of healthcare,” the coalition reported.

Fragile improvement

The decline in the total number of incidents is an encouraging sign, but it has not been enough to secure healthcare services in the long term. In the affected areas, kidnappings, ransom demands, accusations of collaboration, and incursions into medical facilities continue to create a climate of fear for healthcare workers. Caught between the demands of separatist groups and the suspicions of security forces, medical staff continue to operate in an environment where maintaining medical neutrality remains difficult. That pressure risks driving more healthcare workers away, limiting travel to isolated communities, and further reducing access to care for civilians.

The decline recorded in 2025 therefore reflects a statistical improvement rather than a return to normal conditions. As long as healthcare facilities, ambulances, and medical personnel remain exposed to violence from all sides of the conflict, the Anglophone crisis will continue to be measured not only by the fighting itself, but also by interrupted medical services and patients left without care.

Source: Sbbc

13, July 2026

AfDB, UNDP, OECD outline roadmap to turn Africa’s resilience into economic strength ⁰

The 2026 African Economic Conference (AEC) concluded on July 12 in Abidjan with a joint call from the African Development Bank (AfDB), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) for Africa to build greater economic self-reliance. After three days of discussions, the three institutions identified trade integration, local value addition, investment, and stronger public policies as the continent’s best response to growing geopolitical uncertainty.

The closing statement reflects a broader shift in thinking. Rather than focusing only on weathering successive crises, Africa must turn its resilience into productive, commercial, and financial strength that allows it to better defend its interests in an increasingly fragmented global economy. However, the final communiqué does not include measurable targets or a timetable for implementation.

Held from July 10 to 12 at AfDB headquarters under the theme “Strengthening Africa’s Geopolitical Agency and Trade Resilience in a Multipolar World,” the conference brought together economists, researchers, policymakers, and representatives of development institutions. Discussions focused on the effects of global trade fragmentation, tighter financing conditions, and mounting external shocks.

Turning resilience into economic leverage

According to the UNDP, global crises will continue to test African economies and institutions. The response, however, should go beyond crisis management and focus on strengthening the continent’s own economic capabilities.

“Global economic storms will continue to test African institutions, but they can never erode the fundamental wealth and resilience of Africa’s people,” said Raymond Gilpin, Chief Economist and Head of Strategy, Analysis and Research at the UNDP Regional Bureau for Africa.

That resilience alone will not be enough unless it translates into greater production, value addition, and negotiating power. For Ahunna Eziakonwa, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and Director of the UNDP Regional Bureau for Africa, Africa’s position in the emerging global order will depend less on choosing between rival powers than on strengthening its own economy. “In a multipolar world, Africa’s greatest leverage will not come from choosing sides, but from building its own economic strength,” she said.

That strategy includes removing barriers to intra-African trade, expanding regional value chains, improving access to financing for businesses, and investing in infrastructure that supports the movement of goods and services. It also requires processing a larger share of the continent’s raw materials locally to reduce reliance on exports of unprocessed commodities and imports of manufactured goods.

Breaking down policy silos

The conference also emphasized the need for more integrated public policymaking. Trade, debt, investment, climate, taxation, and development finance have become increasingly interconnected, yet governments and development partners often continue to address them separately.

“Our analytical frameworks must now adapt to the reality and uncertainty in which we live. Trade, debt, investment, fiscal policy, climate action and development finance are becoming increasingly interconnected,” said Ida McDonnell, Senior Policy Advisor on Development Policy, Finance and Performance at the OECD. The goal is to prevent progress in one area from being undermined by weaknesses in another. For example, an industrialization strategy can be held back by inadequate trade infrastructure, high financing costs, or tax policies that discourage investment.

The OECD therefore advocates greater use of economic data, stronger information sharing across government agencies, and improved policy evaluation capacity. For African governments, this approach should provide a better understanding of how trade, fiscal, climate, and financial policies interact.

A new African network for economic expertise

One of the conference’s main institutional outcomes was the launch of the African Chief Economists Network (ACE Network). The platform will bring together heads of economic research from governments, regional organizations, and development finance institutions.

The network aims to strengthen Africa’s own economic analysis, improve data sharing, and support coordinated responses to economic shocks. It is also expected to help African countries present more unified positions in international discussions on debt, trade, development finance, and global economic governance. The conference also hosted the annual meeting of the Global Network of Chief Economists from development and financing institutions. That connection could give the new African network greater access to leading international forums for economic research and policymaking.

Its long-term value, however, will depend on its ability to move beyond expert discussions. Its credibility will ultimately be measured by the consistency of its work, the quality of the data it produces, its influence on public policy, and its capacity to help coordinate responses during future crises.

Turning recommendations into action

Representing AfDB Group President Sidi Ould Tah, Senior Vice President Marie-Laure Akin-Olugbade said the discussions had laid the foundation for new policies and partnerships. “The exchanges we have had provide an essential foundation for the policies and partnerships needed to strengthen Africa’s geopolitical agency and enhance its trade resilience,” she said.

The conference’s biggest challenge now lies in translating its conclusions into public policy. While the closing communiqué highlights regional integration, coordinated economic policies, regional value chains, better data, and business financing as priorities, it does not specify funding commitments, responsible institutions, or implementation deadlines.

The impact of AEC 2026 will therefore be measured through concrete outcomes, including growth in intra-African trade, expanded local processing capacity, greater investment in businesses, stronger public policies, and the effectiveness of the African Chief Economists Network.

The conference will have achieved more than issuing a statement of intent if its recommendations help transform Africa’s resilience from a capacity to absorb crises into a lasting source of production, bargaining power, and economic independence.

Source: Business in Cameroon

12, July 2026

Boko Haram: Military setbacks fail to end raids in the Far North region ⁰

More than a decade after Boko Haram’s insurgency spread into Cameroon, the Far North remains one of the Lake Chad Basin’s main conflict zones. Cameroonian forces regularly report tactical successes but have yet to eliminate the armed groups’ ability to carry out attacks. No longer able to hold territory for long, Boko Haram and its breakaway faction, Islamic State West Africa Province, or ISWAP, now conduct rapid incursions against military posts, villages and key trade routes.

Overnight on July 6-7, 2026, an Operation Alpha post operated by the Rapid Intervention Battalion came under attack in Vreket, in Koza municipality, Mayo-Tsanaga Division. According to the state-run daily Cameroon Tribune, more than 100 Boko Haram fighters attempted to storm the unit’s command post near the Nigerian border.

The attackers failed to catch the soldiers off guard. Cameroon Tribune reported that the troops had received an early warning and immediately returned fire. “The vigilance of troops stationed at the base allowed them to contain the assault immediately,” the newspaper said. By the end of the fighting, more than a dozen militants had reportedly been killed, while the remaining attackers were driven back toward the border.

Weakened Groups Still Capable of Striking

The response in Vreket illustrates the ability of Cameroonian forces to react quickly. It does not, however, eliminate the threat. Although Boko Haram and ISWAP no longer control as much territory as they did at the height of the insurgency, they remain highly mobile in border areas and continue to adapt their tactics.

The fighters now favor hit-and-run attacks, ambushes, nighttime raids and improvised explosive devices. Their strategy focuses less on holding towns and villages than on keeping security forces under pressure, disrupting economic activity and sustaining insecurity across the region.

In a food security analysis published in December 2025, FEWS NET reported an increase in violence in the Far North. According to the organization, attacks against civilians and government forces in 2025 exceeded the levels recorded in 2023 and 2024. Mayo-Tsanaga, where Vreket is located, was among the divisions that recorded the sharpest increase in violence.

Civilians Remain the Main Victims

Beyond military confrontations, the continuing violence directly affects local communities. In a report covering Jan. 1 to March 31, 2026, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said non-state armed groups continued to carry out raids in Mayo-Tsanaga, Mayo-Sava and Logone-et-Chari.

The attacks targeted villages, farms, fishing areas, grazing land and several roads, including National Road No. 1. Incidents were reported in Sandawadjiri, Warawide, Tolkomari, Gouzoudou, Kouyape, Maloumri, Amchidé, Vouzod, Waza and Darak.

According to OCHA, 104 people were killed, 123 wounded and 128 abducted in the first quarter of 2026. The organization also recorded nine incidents involving improvised explosive devices, as well as attacks on two schools and four integrated health centers.

The violence is deepening the hardship facing communities already affected by forced displacement, food insecurity, the destruction of livelihoods and limited access to healthcare and education.

The continuing attacks are also taking a heavy economic toll. In rural areas, fear of violence restricts access to farmland, grazing areas and fishing grounds. Abductions, looting and arson are weakening local trade networks, while insecurity along roads is raising transportation costs and delaying deliveries to markets.

Boko Haram is seeking to keep border communities and security forces under constant pressure without necessarily launching prolonged operations. This war of attrition requires the state to maintain a large military presence while also providing humanitarian assistance to communities whose living conditions continue to worsen.

Contained but Far From Stable

Cameroonian authorities maintain that the security situation remains “generally under control,” citing the sustained presence of security forces, Rapid Intervention Battalion operations and support from local vigilance committees. The military’s ability to repel attacks and inflict losses on armed groups demonstrates its superiority on the ground.

But the situation remains fragile. The porous border with Nigeria, the mobility of fighters, the circulation of weapons, the growing use of explosive devices and socioeconomic hardship continue to enable further attacks.

The thwarted assault in Vreket reflects the security paradox in the Far North: Cameroonian forces can contain attacks and inflict setbacks on Boko Haram, but the threat remains active enough to require a sustained military presence.

Victory in the region will therefore be measured not only by the number of attacks repelled or fighters killed. It will also depend on the government’s ability to provide lasting security for villages, restore economic activity and reduce the vulnerabilities that armed groups continue to exploit.

Source: Sbbc

12, July 2026

Cameroon cocoa farm gate price rises ⁰

With one week to go before Cameroon’s 2025-2026 cocoa season ends on July 15, trading activity is picking up. Farmgate prices rose by 250 CFA francs per kilogram in two days, reaching their highest level since the season began.

According to data released by the National Cocoa and Coffee Board’s Commodity Information System, cocoa traded at between 2,750 and 2,850 CFA francs per kilogram on July 9, nearing the 3,000 CFA franc mark. On July 7, prices ranged from 2,500 to 2,600 CFA francs per kilogram, according to the same source.

The latest increase may reflect stronger buying activity toward the end of the season, although available data do not yet show how significant it is. More broadly, it continues a recovery that began about two months ago. Despite repeated increases across producing regions, prices remained below 2,000 CFA francs per kilogram until June 22. The 2025-2026 cocoa season officially began in Mbankomo on August 7, 2025.

A Less Favorable International Market

Current prices nevertheless remain far below the records set during the previous two seasons. In the 2024-2025 season, cocoa prices reached as high as 5,400 CFA francs per kilogram. A year earlier, during the 2023-2024 season, prices climbed to about 6,000 CFA francs per kilogram in some producing areas.

Those exceptional prices fueled high expectations for the 2025-2026 season. When the season began, Cameroonian authorities forecast farmgate prices of between 3,200 and 5,400 CFA francs per kilogram. Market conditions, however, proved significantly less favorable than expected.

The gap between the initial forecasts and actual prices is partly attributable to a reversal in the international cocoa market. After supply constraints pushed prices to historic highs, the latest available estimates from the International Cocoa Organization show that the global market moved back into surplus in the 2024-2025 season, following a historic deficit in 2023-2024.

Improved supply conditions, combined with slowing industrial demand in some consumer markets, helped ease upward pressure on prices. The increase recorded in Cameroon toward the end of the 2025-2026 season has provided some relief to farmers, but prices remain well below the exceptional peaks of the previous two seasons.

Source: Business in Cameroon

12, July 2026

Iran pounds several regional US military sites after renewed American assaults ⁰

Iran’s Armed Forces have launched coordinated missile and drone strikes against US military facilities in Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman in response to continued American assaults on southern Iran, with the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) and the Iranian Army warning that any further US action will trigger harsher retaliation.

In a statement early on Sunday, the IRGC’s Public Relations Office said that the United States had sought to “once again test what has already been tested” by imposing its will on the Omani government and provoking tensions through the “illegal movement” of several vessels south of the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran’s Navy, it hastened to add, thwarted the attempt with a “decisive response.”

The statement further said that the United States launched airstrikes against several coastal bases and telecommunications towers along Iran’s southern coastline in response to that setback.

According to the IRGC, its Aerospace Force then targeted US military positions, striking key military infrastructure at Jordan’s Prince Hassan Air Base during the first phase of the retaliatory operation.

“The continued aggression of the commitment-violating United States will be met with more severe responses,” the statement said.

In a subsequent statement, the IRGC said a second “offending vessel” in the Strait of Hormuz had been struck and brought to a halt.

The IRGC added that during the second phase of its retaliatory operation, its ballistic missiles also targeted the strategic US Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar and destroyed the base’s fighter aircraft maintenance and repair center as well as its command-and-control center.

“The American-Zionist enemy should know that the continuation of its aggression will bring even more crushing responses. “Bring it on, and we will fight back,” the statement said.

In its third phase of response, the IRGC’s Aerospace Force launched a “heavy” attack on “the logistical support centers for naval vessels and the fueling platforms of US aircraft carriers at the Port of Duqm, Oman.”

The IRGC addressed the nation, saying the determination displayed during the recent “unprecedented funeral procession attended by tens of millions” had now been reflected in the actions of its warriors.