Commercial ships blocked: US military warns civilians to stay away from Strait of Hormuz ports

Iran uses civilian ports along the Strait of Hormuz for military operations that threaten international maritime transport,” said Centcom in a statement, adding that “these dangerous actions threaten the lives of innocent people.” “The Centcom urges civilians in Iran to immediately avoid all port sites where Iranian naval forces are operating,” the statement said, suggesting that the US military could strike these infrastructures.

Since the beginning of the war, commercial ships “must obtain permission” to cross the Strait of Hormuz, claim the Revolutionary Guards, Iran’s ideological army. Strikes on Gulf infrastructures and the Strait of Hormuz, which hit three commercial ships on Wednesday, have forced major powers to step up and contain rising oil prices by tapping into black gold reserves.

In response to Israeli-American attacks, Iran is pursuing a large-scale offensive to weaken both production and transportation sites for hydrocarbons, in order to sow chaos and increase the cost of war for its enemies. A container ship, a cargo ship, and a tanker were hit, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations agency, which has recorded 17 incidents on ships since the start of the war on February 28. The Revolutionary Guards claimed responsibility for this strike, as well as one on a ship flying the Liberian flag. Any ship carrying oil cargo, or the ship itself, “belonging to the United States, the Zionist regime or their hostile allies will be considered a legitimate target,” warned the Iranian central command of military operations.

Saudi Arabia, on its part, claimed to have neutralized drones targeting the giant oil field of Shaybah. Infrastructures are being targeted on both sides.

Israeli-American strikes have hit Iranian energy sites 13 times, mainly oil depots. And a total of 16 Iranian retaliations, in seven Gulf countries, have targeted oil and gas fields and complexes.

The blockage of the strait, through which a fifth of the world’s hydrocarbons pass, is forcing countries around the globe to react, from India to Vietnam, passing through Thailand and Greece, which has capped fuel margins to avoid speculation. Washington floated the idea a few days ago of escorting vessels through it. But “security risks alone could make a single passage through the strait more costly than the profit margin on oil cargo,” notes the Soufan Center, specializing in security issues. According to them, “Iran’s naval mine inventory ranges from 2,000 to 6,000 units.”

After Washington announced the destruction of 16 Iranian mine-laying ships, G7 leaders convened by video conference at the request of French President Emmanuel Macron.

The blockage of the strait, through which a fifth of the world’s hydrocarbons pass, is forcing countries around the globe to react, from India to Vietnam, passing through Thailand and Greece, which has capped fuel margins to avoid speculation.

Washington floated the idea a few days ago of escorting vessels through it. But “security risks alone could make a single passage through the strait more costly than the profit margin on oil cargo,” notes the Soufan Center, specializing in security issues. According to them, “Iran’s naval mine inventory ranges from 2,000 to 6,000 units.”