Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has threatened to close "all other export corridors that benefit the US and its allies" following the escalation of tensions in the Persian Gulf and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. In a statement carried by Iran's state news agency IRNA, the Revolutionary Guard said the region's energy exports "will either be shared by all, or will not be available to anyone."
The threat comes after Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important energy transport routes, while the United States has reimposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports. According to Reuters, analysts believe that Tehran's statement could be a signal that Iran could use its allies, the Houthi rebels in Yemen, to try to close the Bab el-Mandab Strait, opening a new front of confrontation with Washington. Bab el-Mandab connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and is one of the main corridors of global trade, through which a significant part of Saudi oil exports and millions of tons of goods pass every year.
A senior Houthi official warned that the group could close the strait if Saudi Arabia continues its attacks on Yemen, claiming that such a move could push the price of oil to $200 per barrel.
The Houthis have previously targeted international shipping in the Red Sea, particularly since the start of the Gaza war in 2023, when they attacked merchant ships claiming to be targeting vessels linked to Israel. The new Iranian threats come a day after the US military announced the launch of a wave of strikes against Iranian targets, aimed at weakening the capabilities that Washington says have been used to attack merchant ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
The United States claims that Iran has attacked seven merchant ships over the past week, causing casualties and injuries among the crews. The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said it has struck dozens of military targets near Hormuz and coastal areas of Iran.
Meanwhile, the Revolutionary Guards declared that the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until “the end of America’s evils.” Before the escalation of the conflict, about a fifth of global oil and gas supplies passed through this sea route every day. Tehran also claimed to have struck US 5th Fleet facilities in Bahrain, a US logistics facility in Kuwait and a US base in Jordan. Jordan, on the other hand, announced that it had intercepted and shot down three Iranian ballistic missiles that entered its airspace.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has threatened that the US could strike Iran's energy infrastructure if Tehran does not return to negotiations. "I'm going to leave the energy targets for last, but we will eventually achieve them," Trump said in an interview with Fox News. The new escalation has increased concerns in international markets, while oil prices have risen due to fears that a wider conflict could disrupt global energy supplies.
