Iran’s new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, vowed Thursday to continue attacks on Gulf Arab nations and maintain pressure on the Strait of Hormuz, marking his first public statement since succeeding his father. The statement, delivered by a state TV news anchor, signaled a continued willingness to disrupt regional stability and global energy supplies.
The vow comes as unrelenting Iranian attacks on shipping traffic and energy infrastructure have pushed oil prices above $100 a barrel, according to reports from Dubai and the Associated Press. Iran recently targeted a container ship off the coast of Dubai and caused a blaze near Bahrain’s international airport, alongside a strike on a major Saudi oil field. These actions have contributed to a near-closure of the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, a choke point for global oil shipments.
U.S. Central Command reported Thursday that the military has struck 6,000 targets inside Iran since the conflict began on February 28th. Despite this, President Donald Trump asserted at a White House event that the “situation with Iran is moving along very rapidly” and that his administration is “doing what has to be done.” He characterized Iran as “a nation of terror and hate” and claimed they are “paying a big price right now.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated Thursday that Israeli strikes have killed top Iranian nuclear scientists, reinforcing the U.S. And Israel’s stated aim of dismantling Iran’s nuclear program. Both countries maintain suspicions that Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons, a claim Iran denies, asserting its program is for peaceful purposes.
The attacks have fueled investor uncertainty, causing stock prices to slide even after President Trump announced major oil reserve releases. Ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains largely halted, though U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicated the U.S. Navy is prepared to escort oil tankers through the waterway.
Ayatollah Khamenei, 56, who is suspected by Israel of having been wounded in the initial stages of the conflict, has not been seen publicly since the war began. His statement too referenced a strike on a school that reportedly killed over 165 people, vowing to avenge those deaths. Netanyahu denounced Khamenei as a “puppet of the Revolutionary Guards” and called on the Iranian people to seek “a new path of freedom.”
According to the Axios report from March 10th, the Trump administration requested that Israel halt strikes on Iran’s energy facilities, particularly oil infrastructure. The situation remains fluid, with no immediate indication of de-escalation from either side.
