Shafaq News- Tehran

Iran’s Army Commander-in-Chief Maj. Gen. Amir Hatami on Sunday announced a $30,000 reward for anyone who kills or captures and hands over any “aggressor” US service member, with the amount doubled if carried out by a woman.

Speaking at a ceremony honoring journalists, Hatami called for US forces to leave the region, claiming Washington could no longer “restore its previous military posture” or operate freely in the Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, and Strait of Hormuz.

Hatami claimed Iranian projectiles had struck the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier at least once and temporarily disrupted its flight operations. The US has denied previous Iranian claims that the carrier was hit.

The Abraham Lincoln remains operational in the Arabian Sea, while the USS George Washington is heading toward the Middle East to relieve it after its extended deployment at sea.

The Strait of Hormuz, a key route for roughly a fifth of global oil supplies, has remained largely closed under Iranian restrictions since Feb. 28 amid the US-Israeli war, disrupting regional energy flows. The strategic waterway briefly reopened after a US-Iran memorandum of understanding took effect but closed again amid renewed hostilities, with Tehran maintaining that the waterway remains under Iranian control.

On Aug. 15, Iran and Oman agreed on a navigation plan for ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, but Tehran says the arrangement alone will not reopen the waterway. Iran continues to demand broader US concessions, while Washington opposes mandatory transit fees and restrictions on navigation.

Read more: Hormuz shipping plunges with no oil cargoes crossing