The Iranian Armed Forces have vowed to target ports and docks across the Middle East if Iran’s own maritime infrastructure is attacked, CNN reported.
The threat follows a statement from US Central Command (CENTCOM) alleging that Iran is utilizing civilian ports along the Strait of Hormuz to conduct military operations that threaten international shipping.
CENTCOM warned that ports used for such purposes constitute “legitimate military targets under international law.”
Senior Iranian military spokesperson Abolfazl Shekarchi responded directly to America’s warning, stating: “If Iran’s ports are threatened, all ports and docks in the region will become our legitimate targets.”
Tehran has already responded to the ongoing US-Israeli air campaign by threatening commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, effectively closing the narrow waterway and causing global oil prices to surge to record levels.
As of mid-March, the closure has disrupted approximately 20 percent of the world’s daily oil supply, creating an unprecedented energy crisis that the Trump administration is currently attempting to manage by releasing strategic reserves.
Regional developments have accelerated rapidly following the launch of a joint US-Israeli offensive against Iranian territory.
The operation, which resulted in the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and several high-ranking officials, triggered a wave of Iranian revenge strikes against US interests in the region and widespread attacks on Israeli territory.
