Iran warned Wednesday it could target shipping routes in the Red Sea and strike regional infrastructure if faced with a U.S. ground operation or threats to its territory, raising fears of a wider escalation.
An Iranian military official, speaking to local media, said Tehran could move to disrupt shipping in the Red Sea if the United States launches a ground invasion or intensifies military pressure near Iranian territory.
The official warned that any attempt to impose costs on Iran through naval operations in the Persian Gulf or the Sea of Oman would be met with a broader response.
“If the enemy attempts a ground operation on Iranian islands or anywhere else on our territory, we will open other fronts as a surprise,” the official was quoted as saying.
He pointed to the strategic importance of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a key chokepoint connecting the Red Sea to global trade routes, and said Iran has both the intent and capability to threaten it.
Separately, Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned that Tehran could launch sustained attacks on vital infrastructure in a regional country if it supports any effort to occupy Iranian territory.
He said intelligence indicated that “enemies” may be planning to seize an Iranian island with backing from an unnamed regional actor, adding that Iranian forces are closely monitoring developments.
The warnings come amid heightened tensions across the Middle East, with concerns growing that any further escalation could disrupt global energy supplies and key maritime trade corridors.
