The Persian Gulf island, targeted by U.S. strikes, is home to Iran’s main oil export terminal. Any disruption could jolt global energy markets.
Amazon, Google and others struck deals in the Persian Gulf to foot the bill for A.I. development. Iran has now threatened attacks against the companies’ infrastructure in the region.
India relies on huge quantities of cooking gas that is normally shipped from the Persian Gulf.
A fifth of the world’s oil passes through the strait, making it a critical choke point in global commerce.
Mojtaba Khamenei struck a defiant tone and signaled that Iran would not back down in a war that has spread across the Middle East.
Conflict is forcing producers to slash production and close ports as Iran steps up attacks on energy infrastructure.
The United States said this week that it had attacked 16 Iranian mine-laying vessels near the Strait of Hormuz. In the 1980s, Iranian mines damaged oil tankers and a U.S. Navy warship.
The United States and Israel launched more strikes against Iran, where crowds mourned military commanders killed in the war. Israel also bombed targets in Lebanon, where the death toll climbed.
A video posted by the U.S. Central Command showed munitions striking nine vessels, most of which were moored at the time. Whether any mines have been laid in Gulf waters was unclear.
Pakistan, Iran’s neighbor, has been striving to remain neutral in the conflict. But its government and military have been forced to act to protect its economy.