By The South Asia Times

TEHRAN - Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has warned it could expand disruptions to regional energy routes serving the United States and its allies, intensifying fears of a broader crisis in global oil and gas supplies after the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

In a statement carried by Iran's state-run IRNA news agency on Wednesday, the IRGC said that if the United States continues military and economic pressure against Tehran, "all other export corridors that benefit the US and its allies" could also face disruption, according to News Agencies.

The warning came after Iran shut the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most strategic maritime chokepoints, following renewed hostilities with the United States. Tehran also accused Washington of reinstating a naval blockade around Iranian ports, describing the move as an attempt to halt the country's energy exports.

"The region's energy exports are either shared by all or denied to all," the IRGC said, adding that the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until what it described as "the end of America's evils."

The latest escalation has heightened concerns over global energy security, with analysts warning that any prolonged disruption in the Gulf could send oil and liquefied natural gas prices sharply higher while affecting international shipping.

Security analysts say Iran may also seek to expand pressure beyond the Persian Gulf by encouraging its allies in Yemen to target the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, another critical maritime corridor linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.

The narrow waterway is a key route for shipments traveling through the Suez Canal and carries a significant share of global trade, including Saudi Arabian energy exports bound for Europe and other international markets.

The Iran-backed Houthi movement has previously demonstrated its ability to disrupt maritime traffic. Since the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023, the group has repeatedly launched missile and drone attacks against commercial vessels in the Red Sea, saying the operations were aimed at ships linked to Israel in support of Palestinians.

The IRGC's warning came as the United States intensified military operations around the Gulf.

The US military said Tuesday it carried out a seven-hour campaign targeting dozens of Iranian military sites near the Strait of Hormuz and along Iran's southern coastline. According to US Central Command, the strikes were intended to reduce Iran's ability to conduct attacks against commercial shipping.

Washington has accused Iran of attacking seven commercial vessels during the past week, saying the incidents left several crew members dead, injured or missing.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most strategically important waterways, connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. During normal conditions, roughly one-fifth of global oil consumption and a substantial portion of the world's liquefied natural gas exports transit the narrow passage each day, making any disruption a major concern for international energy markets.

The latest confrontation follows an escalation in military tensions between Iran, the United States and Israel, with both sides exchanging strikes in recent days. The crisis has renewed fears of a wider regional conflict that could threaten maritime trade across both the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, two of the world's most important energy and shipping corridors.