Iran bars US Navy from Gulf as oil hits $117
Tehran declares American warships targets in territorial waters while President Trump considers a new large-scale bombing campaign.
By Luana Sato ·
The conflict in the Middle East has entered a new phase of naval confrontation. Iran’s armed forces announced on Saturday that they are prepared to fire on United States warships, a move that coincides with President Donald Trump’s indication that Washington has not yet decided on its next strategic step.
Speaking at a rally in Florida on Friday, Trump referenced the initial large bombing campaign against Iran by suggesting the US military “may do another Epic Fury.” This comment came after he weighed whether to end the fighting quickly with massive strikes or to maintain the current naval blockade and sanctions to pressure Tehran. The uncertainty in Washington’s approach has left the military balance in the region in flux.
In a direct response to Trump’s remarks, Ali Abdollahi, the chief of general staff of Iran’s armed forces, issued a statement via state media on Saturday morning. Abdollahi declared that the US Navy cannot re-enter Iranian territorial waters or their immediate surroundings. He argued that because Iran can target any vessel in the region, the American president can only dream of his military re-entering the Persian Gulf.
Abdollahi criticized American rhetoric as contradictory. He noted that while Washington claims Iranian military capabilities are largely destroyed, it has refused to move its aircraft carriers and support ships closer to Iranian territory. The Iranian military chief stated that his forces intend to drown the US and Israel in a quagmire in retaliation for the surprise attack that began the eight-month war on February 28.
The economic impact of the renewed tensions is immediate. Brent crude has risen to approximately $117 per barrel, its highest level since April. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps reported that seven tankers were attacked or hit mines in the hours leading into Thursday. On Friday, the group claimed that two supertankers struck mines in the Strait of Hormuz, which remains a critical chokepoint for global energy supplies.
Diplomatic efforts have stalled while military actions continue on multiple fronts. Senior diplomats from Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Egypt met with counterparts from the UK, France, Germany, and Italy in Istanbul on Friday. The US and Iran were not present for these talks. Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stated that a new attack on Iran would widen the war and spread the conflict across the region. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul blamed Iran and the Houthis for instability, while the regional ministers cited Israeli occupation as the main source of instability.
The Houthis in Yemen struck Riyadh on Saturday, following recent attacks on Dammam’s international airport and the Shaybah oilfield. In southern Lebanon, Israeli air strikes hit areas near Nabatieh, while artillery fell near Zawtar ash-Sharqiyah. In the West Bank, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a lockdown after a Palestinian attack killed two soldiers in Hebron. Netanyahu faces an election on October 27.
Iranian state-linked media claim Tehran has activated a “dead hand” doctrine. This protocol allegedly allows attacks on US, Israeli, and regional interests to continue from all 31 provinces if senior leaders are assassinated. Axios reported on Saturday that US intelligence indicates Iran has substantially increased efforts to strike American officials in the Middle East and elsewhere.
