Tehran — Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has declared that it will set fire to any ship attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, intensifying fears of a wider regional conflict and major disruption to global energy supplies.
Iranian state media on Monday quoted Ebrahim Jabbari, senior adviser to the IRGC’s chief commander, as saying that the strategic waterway would effectively be closed and that vessels trying to transit the strait would be targeted.
The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow passage linking the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea, handles nearly 20 percent of the world’s daily oil shipments. Any prolonged disruption is expected to have serious consequences for international energy markets.
Despite Iran’s declaration, the U.S. military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) said the strait remains open to maritime traffic. According to reports cited by Fox News, U.S. officials have disputed claims of a full closure.
On the same day, the IRGC also claimed responsibility for a drone strike on a U.S.-linked oil tanker in the waterway. Iranian media reported that two drones struck the vessel, identified as “Athena Nova,” leaving it ablaze. Independent verification of the claim was not immediately available.
The escalation follows large-scale U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran on February 28, which reportedly killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. In response, Tehran has launched ballistic missile attacks targeting Israeli positions and U.S. military bases in the region, including in Qatar, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates.
Global oil prices surged by 13 percent on Monday, marking the sharpest single-day increase in a year. Analysts warn that sustained instability in the Strait of Hormuz — already one of the world’s most strategically sensitive chokepoints — could trigger a broader economic shock.
The latest developments have further heightened tensions across the Middle East, raising concerns of a prolonged and potentially wider conflict.
