An Iranian leader threatened on Saturday to close the Mediterranean Sea in retaliation for the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip, local media said.
Israel and the West “will soon await the closing of the Mediterranean Sea, [the Strait of] Gibraltar and other waterways,” Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Naqdi of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard warned.
The closure is likely to be revenge against the United States and its allies for supporting “criminals” in the Gaza Strip as part of Israel’s retaliation following the October 7 Hamas terror attack, the military commander said.
Iran backs Hamas, as well as Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Yemen’s Houthi rebels, but has no direct access to the Mediterranean itself – making it unclear how the Guard plans to cover the vast sea.
General Mohammad Reza Naqdi threatened to close the trade route in a statement on Saturday. Getty Images Satellite image of the Strait of Gibraltar, which connects the Mediterranean to the Atlantic Ocean. Getty Images Iran has supported Hamas in its war against Israel. REUTERS Iran has threatened to close the Mediterranean Sea over the war in Gaza. Mati Milstein/NurPhoto/Shutterstock
Naqdi, however, refers to “the birth of new resistance forces and the closure of other waterways.”
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“Yesterday, the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz became a nightmare for [Israel and its allies]and today they are trapped … in the Red Sea,” he stressed.
Over the past month, Iran has played a leading role in Houthi attacks on Israeli and allied merchant vessels in the Red Sea, which has prompted several shipping companies to halt operations or alter their routes.
Earlier this week, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced a new partnership aimed at combating attacks.
“The recent escalation in Houthi reckless attacks originating in Yemen threatens the free flow of trade, endangers innocent seafarers and violates international law,” Austin said in a statement from Bahrain.
On Friday, the White House confirmed that Iran was “deeply involved” in planning the Houthi attack.
With Postal wire
Categories: Trending
Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
