Iran has threatened to block additional oil and gas export routes across the Middle East as the United States launched a fresh wave of strikes against Iranian military targets.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until Washington ended what it described as “acts of aggression.” It also warned that other regional channels used to export oil and gas could be shut if US military operations continued.

The threat raised fresh concerns over global energy supplies, as the Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important shipping routes for oil and liquefied natural gas.

The US Central Command said the latest strikes were intended to further weaken Iranian military capabilities used to target commercial shipping in the strait. Reports said military infrastructure, missile storage facilities and coastal defence systems were among the targets.

The latest escalation follows renewed attacks involving US and Iranian forces and the reimposition of a US naval blockade on Iranian ports. Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has already slowed sharply amid growing security concerns.

Iranian officials have separately claimed that more than 30 civilians were killed and around 260 others wounded in recent US attacks. (Newswire)

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