Iran ready to block another key strait, promises surprise for US
Photo: Iran threatens to block strategic sea routes (Getty Images)
Iran is ready to block another key strait and even destroy its own infrastructure to stop a potential US landing, according to The Guardian and CNN.
Tehran threatens to open a new front
An Iranian military source warned that if the United States or Israel attempts to land forces on Iranian islands or exert pressure through naval operations in the Persian Gulf, Tehran will open an additional front in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait area.
"We will open other fronts as a 'surprise,'" the source said.
Bab el-Mandeb connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. Around 12% of global seaborne oil shipments pass through the strait each year.
Photo: location of the Bab el-Mandeb and Hormuz straits (Google Maps screenshot)
Ready to strike Kharg Island
The United States is already deploying thousands of ground troops to the Middle East. According to The Guardian, one potential target is Kharg Island in the Persian Gulf, through which Iran exports oil.
Tehran is prepared to destroy its own infrastructure on the island. Diplomats from third countries have conveyed this threat to Washington.
"Iran says that they don’t care that they will have to blow up their own territory," a diplomat told The Guardian.
"They will do it to kill American soldiers," the diplomat added.
Earlier, Iran began charging fees for vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz, with costs reaching about $2 million per transit.
Meanwhile, the United States has eased restrictions on Iranian oil held on tankers at sea, although the permission does not apply to all of Iran’s oil.
