In a dramatic escalation, Iran has issued a stark warning that it may disrupt the vital Bab al-Mandeb Strait trade route, should the United States decide to invade Kharg Island. This threat comes on the heels of Tehran’s actions that have effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial artery through which 20% of the world’s oil supply flows.

The Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a key maritime passage connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, could be the next target if tensions escalate further. Tehran’s warning underscores its capacity to widen the conflict, potentially impacting global trade routes and energy supplies. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, through a statement to the Tasnim News Agency, made it clear that any hostile movement by the US in the region could provoke a multifaceted response from Iran.

“If the enemy decides to engage on Iranian territory, such as the islands or anywhere else, or attempts to impose costs through naval actions in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman,” the Guard warned, “we will surprise them by opening new fronts that will not only negate any benefits of their actions but also increase their expenses.”

Highlighting the strategic importance of the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, the source emphasized Iran’s capability and willingness to pose a credible threat to this crucial marine passage. “If the Americans consider solving the Strait of Hormuz issue with ill-conceived measures, they should be wary of adding another strait to their list of challenges,” the statement cautioned.

Positioned southwest of Yemen, the Bab al-Mandeb Strait is in close proximity to the base of the Iran-supported Houthi movement, further complicating the geopolitical landscape in the region. With these developments, the stakes are significantly raised in an already tumultuous environment, with potential repercussions that extend far beyond the immediate area.

The Bab al-Mandeb Strait is located southwest of Yemen, where the Iran-backed Houthis are based.

The Houthi rebel group has warned they would assist in taking the 20-mile wide strait should the Iranian regime need help during its war with the US and Israel — a move that would hinder traffic through the Red Sea where $1 trillion worth of goods pass through each year.

The Iran proxy group has previously shown its ability to threaten the passageway during the war in Gaza, where the Houthis waged more than two years of attacks on Israeli-linked vessels traveling through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.

Attacks along the strait would further risk shipments coming out of Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest exporter of oil, which has been redirecting its barrels through the Red Sea following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran’s threats come as the US is poised to send 3,000 troops from the Army’s 82nd Infantry Division to the Middle East, the Wall Street Journal first reported.

The troops would join the roughly 2,500 Marines deployed on three warships to the region as part of a broader effort to bolster forces near Iran and reopen the critically important Strait of Hormuz corridor.

While President Trump has not ruled out putting US boots on the ground in the region — either in Iran or on the strategically vital Kharg Island — he said he had no immediate plans to do so.

Kharg Island, located about 16 miles off the Iranian coast, is one-third the size of Manhattan and controls 90% of Iranian crude oil exports.

Taking control of the island would threaten Iran’s key source of income, with Tehran already suffering from soaring inflation and the diminishing value of its rial currency before the war began.