Tensions between Iran and the United States continue to rise, as Tehran has threatened to block other important trade routes in the region in response to new American attacks on military targets.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards said the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until what it called "American aggression" is stopped. Tehran also warned that other oil and gas export routes in the region could be affected, without giving specific details.
The Iranian threat came after the US Central Command announced that it had carried out drone strikes on targets in Iran, following a military operation that lasted about seven hours overnight.
US President Donald Trump has meanwhile warned that the US could strike Iran's energy infrastructure if Tehran does not return to negotiations.
"We'll save the energy targets for the end, but we'll hit them in the end," Trump declared in a television interview, referring to Iran's strategic power plants and bridges.
The latest escalation comes after the United States imposed a new blockade on Iranian ports, restricting the movement of ships to and from the country's coastal areas.
In response, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard warned that other energy export routes that, according to it, "serve the interests of the US and its allies" may also be closed.
Meanwhile, Iranian state media reported that Iran's military had carried out attacks on US targets in Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain. On the other hand, Washington's allies stated that they had intercepted drones and missiles launched by Iran.
The situation in the region remains tense, while the Strait of Hormuz continues to be one of the most critical points for global energy security.
