Strait of Hormuz closure ordered by Iran’s new leader as Middle East war escalates, pushing oil prices above $100 and threatening global supply

Iran’s newly appointed Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, on Thursday ordered the continued closure of the vital Strait of Hormuz, escalating tensions in the Middle East and triggering sharp volatility in global oil markets.

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The directive came as United States President Donald Trump insisted that stopping Iran’s “evil empire” from acquiring nuclear weapons was more important than rising crude prices.

Khamenei, who has not appeared publicly since his nomination as Iran’s supreme leader following the death of his father, Ali Khamenei, delivered the message through state television. The new leader reportedly sustained injuries in an earlier air strike during the ongoing regional conflict.

In the statement, Khamenei called for the strategic waterway to remain blocked and urged Gulf countries hosting US military bases to shut them down.

“The lever of blocking the Strait of Hormuz must definitely be used,” the statement said, referring to the narrow maritime corridor through which roughly a quarter of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas shipments typically pass.

The move follows renewed Iranian strikes on Gulf energy infrastructure that briefly pushed oil prices above $100 per barrel. Analysts warn that prolonged disruption in the region could trigger one of the most severe global supply shocks in decades.

Washington, however, signalled that military pressure on Tehran would continue. Trump wrote on social media that preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons was a greater priority than stabilising crude prices.

Images from Muharraq showed thick smoke rising after fuel tanks were struck, while drone attacks caused damage at facilities in Kuwait International Airport and parts of Dubai.

Saudi Arabia also reported intercepting drones targeting the Shaybah oil field and areas near diplomatic missions.

Shipping activity around the Strait has slowed dramatically as security concerns intensify. Authorities reported attacks on three additional vessels in Gulf waters off the coasts of the United Arab Emirates and Iraq.

The International Energy Agency warned that the 13-day conflict risks causing the largest disruption in global oil supply on record, potentially surpassing the energy crises of the 1970s.

Benchmark oil prices have already climbed between 40 and 50 per cent since the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran on February 28, fuelling fears of global inflation and economic slowdown.

Meanwhile, the conflict has spread across the region. Israeli strikes in Lebanon have killed hundreds, according to local authorities, while more than 800,000 people have reportedly been displaced.

In Iran, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees estimates that more than three million people have fled their homes since the conflict began.

Israeli forces said they had launched a new wave of strikes on Iranian facilities, including a site southeast of Tehran allegedly linked to nuclear weapons development.

US forces also reported targeting Iranian mine-laying vessels amid concerns that Tehran could render the Strait of Hormuz unnavigable.

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Energy analysts say the situation remains extremely fragile, warning that any prolonged closure of the Strait could dramatically disrupt global oil flows and intensify economic pressure worldwide.