Iran has issued a warning that it will open additional battlefronts at key strategic points, including the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, if the US carries out ground operations on Iranian islands.
On 25 Mar 2026 GMT+7, Iranian military sources warned that Tehran might open additional strategic fronts, including at the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, if the US and Israel conduct military operations against Iran's islands or attempt to pressure the country through naval actions.
The Bab el-Mandeb Strait connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, serving as a critical "choke point" for global trade, especially for oil and natural gas transportation.
"If the enemy attempts ground operations against any of Iran’s islands or any part of our territory, or tries to harm us through naval maneuvers in the Persian Gulf or the Sea of Oman, we will open other fronts as a 'surprise' response," the source said, as reported by Iran’s Tasnim News Agency.
The military source specifically named the Bab el-Mandeb Strait to Tasnim, affirming that Iran possesses both the capability and determination to pose a genuine threat in that area should the situation escalate.
"If the Americans recklessly act regarding the Strait of Hormuz, they should beware that there will be no 'other straits' added to their list of challenges," the source added.
Approximately 12% of the world’s seaborne oil and vast quantities of liquefied natural gas (LNG) pass through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait annually.
Meanwhile, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf also warned on Wednesday that Tehran has intelligence indicating that an "enemy" is preparing to seize one of Iran's islands with support from regional countries.
"Our forces are monitoring every enemy movement, and if they make even a single misstep, all critical infrastructure in that region’s states will be subject to continuous and relentless attacks," Ghalibaf stated on the X platform, without naming the specific countries involved.
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Source:cnn