Middle East
A handout photo taken and released by the Royal Thai Navy shows smoke rising from the Thai bulk carrier “Mayuree Naree” near the Strait of Hormuz after an attack on March 11, 2026. Photo: Handout / Royal Thai Navy / AFP
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iran’s armed forces warned Wednesday that they would target ports across the region if Iranian maritime infrastructure is attacked, urging neighboring states to expel US forces.
“If our ports and docks are threatened, all ports and docks in the region will be our legitimate targets,” the spokesperson of Iran’s armed forces, Abolfazl Shekarchi, said, according to state media.
The joint US-Israeli campaign against Iran entered its twelfth day on Wednesday, with bombardments largely targeting security and military installations as well as government institutions across the country. US forces have so far hit more than 5,500 targets in Iran as part of Operation Epic Fury, US Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander Brad Cooper said on Wednesday, noting that the campaign aims to dismantle Tehran’s security apparatus.
Iran’s warning came after CENTCOM urged “civilians in Iran to immediately avoid all port facilities where Iranian naval forces are operating.”
CENTCOM said “the Iranian regime is using civilian ports along the Strait of Hormuz to conduct military operations that threaten international shipping,” adding that “civilian ports used for military purposes lose protected status and become legitimate military targets under international law.”
Iran’s armed forces spokesperson said that they “will carry out a heavier operation than what we have done so far” if Iranian ports come under attack. “We call on the countries of the region to expel the Americans from their lands,” he added.
The Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most critical oil shipping corridor, has remained largely closed for 12 consecutive days amid the war. The strait typically handles about 20 percent of all seaborne oil trade.
Iran’s military on Wednesday also said that any ships belonging to the United States, Israel, or their allies passing through the strategic waterway would be targeted.
Maritime authorities have said that three cargo vessels have been hit in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has claimed responsibility for striking a Thai-flagged vessel.
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday promised “great safety” for oil tankers passing through the strait. “I think you're going to see great safety, and it's going to be very, very quickly,” he said.
The US-Israeli operation launched in late February killed several senior Iranian leaders, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In retaliation, Iran has targeted several countries in the Gulf as well as Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, saying it is striking US-linked positions in neighboring territories. The attacks have also caused damage to civilian and economic infrastructure and other non-military sites.
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