Iran threatens wider shipping disruption as tensions escalate

A senior Iranian official has warned that key global shipping lanes beyond the Strait of Hormuz could face threats if the United States and Israel intensify military action.

Ali Akbar Velayati, an adviser to Mojtaba Khamenei, said even a minor miscalculation could severely disrupt global energy supplies and international trade. Speaking to Press TV, he stated that the so-called “unified command of the resistance” views the Bab al-Mandeb Strait as equally strategic as Hormuz.

His comments followed a warning from Donald Trump, who threatened strong action if Iran does not fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz by April 7. Velayati added that while the US may have learned from past encounters with Iran, it still does not fully grasp the country’s strategic influence.

The Bab al-Mandeb Strait, located off Yemen, connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea and is a vital route for ships traveling toward the Suez Canal.

Yemen’s Houthi group, which is aligned with Tehran, has previously warned it could target this waterway in support of Iran. Earlier attacks on Red Sea shipping during the Gaza conflict caused significant disruption to global trade.

Meanwhile, Abu Hussein al-Hamidawi, head of the Iran-aligned Kataib Hezbollah, warned of strikes on regional energy infrastructure if the US attempts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz by force. In remarks carried by the Islamic Republic News Agency, he said such action would leave no oil or gas facilities intact.

He also warned that US-linked infrastructure across the region could be targeted, adding that “either security will be ensured for all, or no one will have security.”