WASHINGTON — In his first public statement since succeeding his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, vowed unrelenting retaliation against the United States, and Israel. The remarks signal a continuation of Tehran’s hardline stance, including maintaining pressure on the critical Strait of Hormuz, as the ongoing conflict exacerbates global energy market instability and deepens humanitarian concerns across the region.
Khamenei’s statement, delivered via state media as written words read aloud, was a forceful declaration of intent. “We will never retreat, and vow to avenge the blood of our martyrs,” he said. “Our revenge will be never ending, not only for the late supreme leader, but also for the blood of all of our martyrs… Those who killed our children will pay the price.” The new leader did not appear in person for the address.
The vow of revenge comes amid escalating tensions following U.S.-Israeli strikes that killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The new supreme leader also expressed condolences to families affected by a recent strike in Minab, Iran, which reportedly killed at least 175 people, many of them children, according to Iranian officials. He warned that the duration of the conflict remains uncertain, “depending on the interests of the parties.”
Intelligence Failure Possibly Led to School Strike
The Associated Press, citing two sources familiar with preliminary findings, reported that outdated intelligence may have contributed to the deadly U.S. Missile strike on the elementary school in Minab. According to the report, U.S. Central Command utilized target coordinates based on outdated data provided by the Defense Intelligence Agency.
Strait of Hormuz Remains a Key Point of Contention
Khamenei indicated that Iran intends to maintain its pressure on the Strait of Hormuz, a strategically vital waterway through which approximately 20% of the world’s oil supply passes. He also stated a desire for amicable relations with neighboring countries, but affirmed that attacks on U.S. Military installations in the region would continue. Maintaining pressure on the Strait of Hormuz, he asserted, is a necessary component of Iran’s war strategy.
Attacks have continued to disrupt shipping and energy infrastructure throughout the Persian Gulf. The price of oil rose 10% Thursday as Iranian forces intensified strikes on vessels attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz, leaving hundreds of ships stranded, according to reports. “They will pay the price. We will destroy their facilities,” Khamenei stated. “It is necessary to continue our defensive activity, including continuing to close the Strait of Hormuz.”
On Thursday, Iranian forces reportedly destroyed a U.S.-owned tanker flying a Marshall Islands flag in the Persian Gulf. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed responsibility for the attack, which resulted in at least one confirmed fatality and left two vessels ablaze, the Associated Press reported. Earlier that morning, a container ship near Dubai was struck by an “unknown projectile,” causing a tiny fire, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations.
Global Oil Supply Disrupted
The International Energy Agency (IEA) released a report Thursday stating that the conflict in the Middle East is creating “the largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil market.” In response, the 32 member countries of the IEA unanimously agreed to release 400 million barrels of oil from emergency reserves, with the United States contributing 172 million barrels over 120 days.
Recent incidents include drone strikes and explosions targeting fuel storage facilities in Bahrain and at the port of Salalah in Oman, a key hub for tankers seeking alternative routes around the Strait of Hormuz. Benjamin Radd, a UCLA expert on U.S. Foreign relations with Iran, noted that these actions represent a cost-effective way for Iran to create global chaos. “They cannot match the United States and Israel on the ballistic, kinetic warfare front,” Radd said. “But Iran has now seen the disproportionate effect that their maritime escalation has on the global economy and energy markets. Glance at how much damage they can inflict by doing relatively little.”
Cost of Conflict and Political Responses
The conflict, entering its third week, shows no signs of abating, and the humanitarian toll continues to rise. As of Thursday, Iranian officials, speaking through their representative to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, reported 1,348 Iranian civilian deaths as a result of U.S. And Israeli strikes. The U.N. Refugee agency estimates that approximately 3.2 million people have been displaced within Iran. The Pentagon reports seven U.S. Service members have been killed and 140 injured in Iranian counterattacks.
Defense officials, in a Capitol Hill briefing Wednesday, informed lawmakers that the first six days of the war had already cost more than $11.3 billion, or roughly $1.9 billion per day. These estimates do not include the cost of asset damage or resupply efforts, according to analysts.
Meanwhile, the Israeli military has intensified its air campaign in Lebanon against the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah, launching attacks across the country, including in Beirut. Lebanese authorities reported eight deaths and 31 injuries following Israeli strikes on a seafront area near Beirut’s public beach early Thursday morning. Evacuation orders were also issued for buildings near the government’s seat of power in downtown Beirut.
Lebanese authorities report more than 687 people have been killed so far, including 98 children and 52 women. Khamenei reiterated Tehran’s commitment to a war of attrition, framing the conflict as a prolonged struggle against its adversaries and vowing to “continue the path of resistance and the path that will lead us to defeat the enemy.”
The situation remains highly volatile, and the potential for further escalation is significant. The coming days will be critical in determining whether diplomatic efforts can de-escalate the conflict or if the region is headed for a prolonged period of instability. Continued monitoring of developments in the Strait of Hormuz and the broader Persian Gulf will be essential.
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