Iran condemns US attacks as ‘aggression,’ vows retaliation

Iran condemned on Wednesday the latest wave of US strikes on the country's south as an act of "aggression," vowing retaliation for any attack on its territory.

"The US attack on the south of the country constitutes aggression against Iranian territory and is completely illegal, and it has been met with a response from our armed forces," Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said in remarks carried by the ISNA News Agency.

"Our armed forces have shown in defending Iran that there is no difference between the south, north, east or west," Baqaei said.

"Every part of Iran's territory belongs to all the Iranian people. Therefore, any strike by the enemy against any part of the country's territory will certainly be met with a reciprocal response from the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran," the spokesman said.

Iranian government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani said early Wednesday that more than 30 civilians have been killed in recent US attacks on southern Iran.

Tensions between the US and Iran have escalated in recent days over the Strait of Hormuz, with the two sides exchanging attacks despite a Pakistan-mediated memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the conflict and reaching a lasting peace agreement.