2 minute read
A commander in Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has said the Strait of Hormuz is closed and warned that any vessel attempting to pass through will be attacked, Al Jazeera reported citing Iranian state media.
“The strait is closed. If anyone tries to pass, the heroes of the Revolutionary Guard and the regular navy will set those ships ablaze,” Ebrahim Jabari, a senior adviser to the IRGC’s commander-in-chief, said on Monday. “We will also attack oil pipelines and will not allow a single drop of oil to leave the region. Oil price will reach $200 in the coming days,” Jabbari said.
The Strait of Hormuz, situated between Iran and Oman, is among the most strategically important oil passages in the world, carrying about 20% of the global oil supply.
The closure was triggered by U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran. In response, Iran fired several barrages of missiles at its Gulf neighbors hosting U.S. military bases such as Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain. Tehran also fired missiles at the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Oman, targeting U.S. assets.
Earlier on March 2, Saudi Arabia's state oil giant Aramco shut its Ras Tanura refinery following a drone strike.