Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei on March 12 (local time) declared that his country will continue to fight and maintain the closure of the Strait of Hormuz as a tool to put pressure on the US and Israel.
This is the first public statement by Mr. Mojtaba Khamenei since he succeeded his father who died in airstrikes when the fighting broke out. His message was not broadcast live but reread by an Iranian state television presenter. His image has not been released since the Israeli attack began, in which many members of his family, including his father and wife, were killed. Iranian officials said he was slightly injured in the initial airstrike.
In a statement, Mr. Mojtaba Khamenei called on neighboring countries to close US military bases on their territory and warned that Iran will continue to target these bases. He affirmed that Tehran will not ignore retaliation for those who have been killed and emphasized that the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz needs to continue to be used as a strategic lever.
The Strait of Hormuz is an important shipping route along the Iranian coast, where about 1/5 of the world's oil is usually transported through.
Just hours after the statement of the Iranian leader, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held his first press conference since the war broke out. He issued a warning implying the possibility of targeting Mr. Mojtaba Khamenei and defending Israel's military campaign against Iran.
The conflict has killed more than 2,000 people, including nearly 700 in Lebanon. Israeli airstrikes also hit a building in central Beirut, while the country asked people to leave many areas in southern Lebanon as the campaign against Iranian-backed Hezbollah increased.
In the area, attacks on ships continued to occur. Two oil tankers caught fire at a port in Iraq after being attacked by ships carrying suspected Iranian explosives. At least one sailor was killed. Three other ships were also attacked in the Gulf, in which the Iranian Revolutionary Guards claimed responsibility for hitting a Thai cargo ship.
US President Donald Trump believes that rising oil prices could benefit the US because this country is the world's largest oil producer. US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said that the possibility of oil prices rising to $200/barrel is unlikely, but not entirely excluded.
