DUBAI, July 16 – Iran has sharply escalated its rhetoric amid the expanding military confrontation with the United States, declaring that the Strait of Hormuz remains a non-negotiable “red line” and warning that any American attack on Iranian infrastructure would trigger retaliatory strikes against infrastructure throughout the Gulf region. The latest exchange of threats comes as military operations intensify, regional security deteriorates, and concerns grow over the safety of one of the world’s most important maritime energy corridors.
The warning follows several days of sustained U.S. military operations targeting Iranian positions and the continued enforcement of a naval blockade around Iranian ports. Washington has maintained that its campaign is intended to restore freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz after Iran moved to close the strategic waterway following the collapse of a fragile ceasefire. Tehran, however, insists it retains full authority over the strait and has vowed to oppose any attempt to weaken its control.
Iran Declares Control Over Strategic Waterway
Iranian officials presented a united front on Thursday, describing the conflict as one that directly affects the country’s sovereignty and national survival. Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, identified by Iranian authorities as the country’s chief negotiator, said after the latest round of American strikes that Iran now considers itself engaged in an “essential and existential war with America.” His remarks underscored the increasingly uncompromising tone emerging from Tehran as diplomatic efforts remain stalled.
Iranian Army spokesman Brigadier General Mohammad Akraminia reinforced that message by describing the Strait of Hormuz as an inviolable national security boundary. Speaking to Iranian media, he rejected suggestions that recent U.S. attacks on military facilities along Iran’s southern coastline had weakened Tehran’s ability to oversee the waterway.
According to Akraminia, Iran’s military capabilities extend far beyond its coastal installations. He argued that the country’s geography and defense systems allow it to exercise control over the Strait of Hormuz from multiple locations across Iranian territory, making its position independent of individual islands or shoreline bases.
His statement appeared aimed at countering the U.S. military strategy following multiple rounds of strikes against Iranian military assets near the Persian Gulf. Three U.S. officials, speaking to Reuters, said the American campaign is focused on degrading Iran’s military capabilities before undertaking more complex operations connected to reopening the strait.
Iranian military leaders rejected Washington’s objectives, insisting that any effort to alter the balance of power in the waterway would fail. In an earlier statement, the Iranian Army pledged that its forces would “resist until the end” and vowed to neutralize what it described as American intervention across the region.
Iran has also maintained that the only acceptable path toward reopening the Strait of Hormuz would require the United States to fully implement the 14 point memorandum of understanding signed between the two countries in June. Iranian military officials said any future maritime traffic would also have to comply with Iranian regulations governing ship movements through the strategic passage.
Before the current conflict intensified, roughly one fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas shipments passed through the Strait of Hormuz, making it one of the most critical chokepoints for global energy markets. Any prolonged disruption to shipping through the area carries the potential to affect fuel supplies, shipping costs, and international oil prices.
Tehran Threatens Wider Regional Response
Iran also issued fresh warnings following recent comments by U.S. President Donald Trump, who threatened earlier this week to target additional Iranian infrastructure, including power stations and bridges, if Tehran refuses to return to negotiations.
Responding to those remarks, Brigadier General Akraminia warned that any direct attack on Iranian civilian infrastructure would bring a far broader military response than previous exchanges. He said Iran’s armed forces would strike “all remaining infrastructure” across the region, adding that any retaliation would be more severe, more expansive, and more destructive than earlier operations.
The Iranian military further warned neighboring countries against assisting U.S. military operations. In an official statement, Iran declared that allowing American forces to launch attacks from regional bases would be considered unacceptable and would invite direct retaliation.
“Our neighbours should know that providing a base to the Americans and allowing them to fire on Iranian soil is unacceptable and will not go unanswered,” the Iranian Army said in its official statement.
Those warnings were followed by new military activity across the Gulf. Iranian authorities announced that their forces had launched strikes against U.S. military installations in Kuwait and Jordan. According to the Iranian Army, ballistic missiles targeted Al Azraq Air Base in Jordan.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed responsibility for attacks on the Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, saying satellite communications facilities and early warning radar systems had been destroyed. The Guards also claimed to have struck a U.S. military pier located in Kuwait’s Al Shuaiba area.
Authorities across the Gulf reported heightened security measures as the attacks unfolded. Bahrain’s Defence Ministry announced that its air defense systems intercepted and destroyed several Iranian aerial threats targeting the kingdom during the early hours of Thursday.
Kuwaiti officials also confirmed they were responding to what they described as hostile drone threats, while emergency sirens sounded across parts of Bahrain, highlighting the growing risk that the conflict could spread further throughout the region.
The latest escalation has renewed fears that the confrontation could evolve into a much broader regional conflict involving multiple countries and strategic energy infrastructure. Analysts have warned that continued military exchanges increase the possibility of disruptions extending beyond the Strait of Hormuz.
Security experts have also pointed to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait as another potential flashpoint. According to regional analysts, Iran has signaled that its Houthi allies in Yemen could attempt to disrupt maritime traffic through the Red Sea gateway, creating pressure on another vital global shipping route. Such a development would place two of the world’s most significant energy corridors under simultaneous threat, raising concerns over international trade, energy security, and broader regional stability.
With military operations continuing, diplomatic channels largely frozen, and increasingly forceful warnings emerging from both Washington and Tehran, the prospect of further escalation remains high. Governments across the Middle East continue to monitor developments closely as the conflict threatens to reshape the security landscape of one of the world’s most strategically important regions.