Trump threatens Iran with ’20 times harder’ strike over Hormuz oil route

US President Donald Trump has warned Iran that it would face devastating retaliation if it attempts to halt oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy routes.

“If Iran does anything that stops the flow of oil within the Strait of Hormuz, they will be hit… twenty times harder,” Trump said, adding that US forces could target facilities that would make it difficult for Iran to rebuild its military capacity.

The warning came just hours after Trump suggested the war could end “very soon,” even as hostilities intensified across the region.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps rejected US claims that its missile capabilities have been crippled, saying it is continuing to deploy large numbers of missiles with warheads exceeding one tonne.

Iran has also continued attacks on Israeli targets and US-linked assets across the Gulf region, including in Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. One person was reported killed in Manama and two in central Israel during the latest strikes.