TEHRAN — The United States–Israel–Iran conflict intensified on Monday with Tehran signalling a broader response if its energy infrastructure is attacked, as military exchanges continued across the region.
Iran has threatened to deploy naval mines across the Persian Gulf if the US and Israel attack its coasts or islands, warning that such a move could effectively shut down the region’s critical waterways.
In a statement reported by the Fars news agency, Iran’s National Defense Council said any attempt by “the enemy” to target Iranian coasts or islands would lead to mining of access routes and communication lines throughout the Gulf.
It said the measures would include various types of naval mines, including floating mines that could be launched from shore.
The statement warned that in such a scenario, the entire Persian Gulf “would face conditions similar to the Strait of Hormuz for an extended period,” effectively closing maritime routes.
Responsibility for such an outcome would lie with the party initiating the attack, it added.
The council also said that the only way for “non-belligerent countries” to safely transit the Strait of Hormuz would be “through coordination with Iran.”
The Strait of Hormuz has been effectively disrupted since early March. Around 20 million barrels of oil normally pass through it daily, and its disruption has driven up shipping costs and pushed global oil prices higher.
Regional escalation has continued to flare since the US and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, killing so far over 1,300 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, along with Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, causing casualties and damage to infrastructure while disrupting global markets and aviation. — Anadolu Agency (inputs added)
