DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - Iran's Revolutionary Guard naval command warned Saturday that attacks on its oil tankers or merchant ships would provoke a "heavy assault" targeting U.S. bases nearby and adversarial vessels, even as a fragile ceasefire continues to hold.

Iranian state television aired the alert one day after U.S. forces hit two Iranian oil tankers, raising questions about the month-long truce that American officials maintain remains active. The U.S. military claimed the vessels attempted to violate its naval blockade of Iranian harbors.

At the same time, Bahrain - home to the U.S. Navy's key regional command - announced the detention of dozens suspected of ties to Iran's Revolutionary Guard.

Washington is monitoring Tehran's reply to its newest offer aimed at halting the conflict, restoring passage through the Strait of Hormuz, and curbing Iran's controversial nuclear activities. Russian President Vladimir Putin noted that Moscow's plan to handle Iran's enriched uranium stocks for mediation purposes is still available.

Bahrain links arrests to Revolutionary Guard financing plot

Bahrain reported detaining 41 individuals linked to a network connected to the Revolutionary Guard. According to the interior ministry, probes verified their communications with the Guard and efforts to gather money "intended for transfer to Iran" to fund "terrorist activities."

The modest Gulf nation, ruled by a Sunni monarchy, shares a Shiite majority with Iran. Human rights organizations accuse the government of exploiting the U.S.-Iran war - with the U.S. Fifth Fleet stationed there - to suppress opposition.

Iran cautioned Bahrain: "Aligning with the U.S.-supported measures will lead to grave repercussions. The Strait of Hormuz is essential for lifeblood trade; avoid endangering it indefinitely," declared Ebrahim Azizi, chair of Iran's parliamentary national security committee, via social media.

Iran has largely sealed off the vital global energy route since the U.S. and Israel initiated hostilities on February 28, sparking worldwide fuel price surges and unsettling financial markets.

The U.S. has enacted a counter-blockade on Iranian ports. U.S. Central Command reported Saturday that its units repelled 58 merchant vessels and neutralized four since the operation started on April 13.

Britain sends warship to Middle East waters

The British defense ministry announced deployment of a warship to the Middle East to support a prospective effort safeguarding commercial traffic in the Strait of Hormuz after fighting subsides.

HMS Dragon will position itself in the area to integrate with a U.K.-French security initiative, the ministry stated. France recently shifted its carrier battle group to the Red Sea as preparatory action.

Britain and France have coordinated sessions with numerous nations to form a coalition ensuring safe navigation in the strait. They emphasize operations will commence only after a durable truce and confidence from shipping firms that the route is secure.

Diplomatic efforts press on relentlessly

U.S. President Donald Trump has renewed warnings of escalating airstrikes unless Iran agrees to restore strait access and limit its nuclear pursuits. Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei dismissed such timelines on Friday, per state media IRNA.

Negotiations persist. Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif revealed ongoing talks with Washington and Tehran around the clock to prolong the truce and secure lasting peace.

Russia's foreign ministry, alongside Saudi Arabia, urged intensified diplomacy for a "lasting, comprehensive pact" to resolve the war.

Putin separately informed journalists in Moscow that securing Iran's enriched uranium for talks would reveal its quantities and sites, all monitored by the IAEA, the United Nations nuclear oversight body.

Senior Egyptian and Qatari envoys affirmed diplomacy as the only viable resolution, based on their recent ministerial call transcript.

Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has stayed out of sight since the war's outset, sparking rumors about his condition.

A senior Iranian figure assured Friday that Khamenei enjoys "full health" and will soon appear publicly. Mazaher Hosseini, tied to the office of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei - slain early in the conflict - spoke at a regime rally, noting Mojtaba sustained knee and back wounds from initial strikes but has recovered substantially.

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Magdy reported from Cairo. Associated Press writer Jill Lawless in London contributed to this report.

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