Tensions in the Persian Gulf reached a boiling point on Thursday as Iran warned of "long and painful strikes" against U.S. positions should Washington resume military attacks.
The threat comes as President Donald Trump weighs fresh strikes to force Tehran back to the negotiating table, two months into a high-stakes conflict that has paralyzed global energy markets.
Escalation in the Strait of Hormuz
In a defiant message marking National Persian Gulf Day, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei asserted that Iran would maintain its "new management" of the Strait of Hormuz. He vowed to eliminate "hostile misuse" of the waterway, suggesting Tehran has no intention of relinquishing its grip on the world’s most vital oil chokepoint.
"Foreigners who come from thousands of kilometers away have no place here except at the bottom of its waters," Khamenei stated, reinforcing Iran's claims of regional sovereignty.
Military Readiness and Economic Fallout
The Aerospace Force of the Revolutionary Guards echoed this sentiment, warning that U.S. warships would face the same fate as regional bases targeted in earlier counter-strikes. On Thursday night, air defenses were reportedly active over Tehran, engaging surveillance drones as the capital remains on high alert.
The conflict has already choked off 20% of the world’s oil and gas supplies, sending Brent crude prices soaring to $126 a barrel before stabilizing at $114. President Trump, facing pressure ahead of the November midterm elections, reiterated that gasoline prices would "drop like a rock" once the war ends, though he insisted Iran will never be allowed to attain a nuclear weapon.
Diplomatic Impasse
Efforts to break the deadlock remain stalled. While a ceasefire has been technically in place since April 8, the Strait remains closed in retaliation for a U.S. naval blockade of Iranian oil exports. Iranian Foreign Ministry officials dismissed hopes for a quick resolution, calling expectations for a short-term breakthrough "unrealistic."
Amid the rising heat, the United Arab Emirates has banned its citizens from traveling to Iran, Lebanon, and Iraq, urging those already there to evacuate immediately.
