A European Union naval mission Aspides official told the media on Saturday, that vessels passing through the area had been getting VHF radio threats by the Revolutionary Guards of Iran, saying that no ships could pass through the Strait of Hormuz. The official, who was not quoted in Reuters, emphasized that Tehran has not officially reported that it issued such an order. Iran has on several occasions threatened to close the narrow waterway in case it is attacked directly by the military.
Iran Moves To Shut Strait of Hormuz As Gulf Tensions Escalate, Raising Fears Of Global Oil Supply Disruption: Report
The Strait of Hormuz is most likely being regarded as the most essential oil passage in the world, connecting the largest oil producers in the Gulf including Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq and the United Arab Emirates to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. Even the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) stated it had been asked to supply several vessels in the Arabian Gulf to report that messages were being circulated that the strait was closed, further raising concerns that the global energy supplies would be disrupted.
The warnings came hours after the United States and Israel made synchronized attacks in Iran, including attacks on top leadership and calling on the overthrow of the Iranian government. Tehran countered this with airing missiles to Israel and the Gulf countries which were US bases. President Donald Trump claimed that the operation would neutralize security threats and ensure Iran did not have the capability to create nuclear weapons and urged Iranian forces to lay down arms.
Iran condemned the attacks as baseless and unprovable and the top Revolutionary Guards commander Ebrahim Jabbari vowed to retaliate. According to what state television announced, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei would soon speak to the country. In the meantime, explosions were observed in the oil producing Gulf states and they claimed that their air defences shot incoming missiles, a situation that highlights the danger of further spread in the region.
