The Hill News

A former commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guard and rear admiral in the country's naval forces told a media outlet that U.S. ships in the Persian Gulf or Sea of Oman could each be taken on by 100 Iranian combat vessels.

Naval responses came under Revolutionary Guard control as a response to heightened tensions between the U.S. and Iran over its growing nuclear program and subsequent sanctions action.

"As far as the navy is concerned, the necessary preparedness and exercises exist," Morteza Saffari told Panjareh Weekly, adding, "The enemy knows that it has many weak points."

Saffari pointed out the foreign ships in the Gulf as prized targets that could inflict heavy losses on the U.S., calling the warships "easy targets for the Iranian naval forces."

He said that Revolutionary Guard and Basij militia forces would launch such attacks as soon as the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, wishes.