Iran's Khamenei vows to maintain Strait of Hormuz blockade, warning of wider conflict.
Iran’s supreme leader issued a hard line on the Strait of Hormuz on the 12th, delivered in a message read by an announcer on state television. In the statement, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the Hormuz blockade “must be maintained” and vowed not to hesitate to retaliate for “the martyrs’ blood.” He also warned Gulf states that the blockade could be expanded to other fronts and urged the immediate closure of U.S. military bases in the region.
The message, described by Iran as the leader’s first since his election to the post, underscored a commitment to keeping the strait shut as leverage against Western and Gulf actors. It also left open the possibility of widening the confrontation if Iran’s aims were not met, a pattern that has raised concerns about broader regional risk.
Earlier, CNN cited a separate incident in which two ships in the Persian Gulf near the Iraqi port city of Basra were attacked. The Maltese-flagged vessel Zephyros, operated by SafeSea Transport, and the Marshall Islands-flagged vessel SafeSea Vishnu, owned by a Greek company, were hit, with one crew member killed and 38 foreign crew rescued. Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB said underwater drones were used in the attack.
The attack site is described as about 800 kilometers from Hormuz, in the northern Persian Gulf near Basra. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps later said it had struck four additional vessels in the Gulf, including ships flagged by Thailand, Japan, and the Marshall Islands, as well as a Liberia-flagged cargo ship owned by an Israeli company.
In a separate development, Reuters cited two U.S. defense officials as saying Iran had laid 12 naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz as part of its tactics to choke off maritime traffic. The report noted that Iran has previously signaled it would use mines to seal the passage if necessary.
President Donald Trump, in a post on X, claimed that Iran’s mine-laying ships had been removed overnight, stating that 59 to 60 such vessels had been eliminated. The claim could not be independently verified in the article and reflects one side of the ongoing dispute over control of the strait.
In related remarks, Iranian officials circulated on X a statement from the Iranian president proposing terms for a cease-fire that would include war reparations and international guarantees to prevent a recurrence of aggression. The post signals Tehran’s willingness to link a halt to hostilities with security guarantees and financial settlements, a stance that will complicate any rapid diplomatic path forward.
For the United States and its allies, the developments matter beyond Korea because Hormuz is a global energy chokepoint. Roughly one-fifth of the world’s traded oil moves through the strait, and disruptions can quickly ripple through markets, energy prices, and supply chains worldwide. The U.S. maintains a regional naval presence to deter escalation and protect freedom of navigation, a priority for American security and economic interests.
The current flare-up also has implications for U.S. policy toward Iran, including sanctions enforcement and broader Middle East security dynamics. While Gulf states rely on stable shipping lanes, an escalation risks increased costs for energy and a potential hit to global markets, prompting intensified international diplomatic engagement and contingency planning across energy, defense, and economic channels.