Donald Trump warned Iran after it shut down traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a key route carrying about 20% of the world’s oil, sending global prices soaring. The closure came amid an escalating conflict between the U.S., Israel and Iran that has lasted about 10 days.
In a March 10 post on Truth Social, Trump warned that if Iran blocked oil shipments through the strait, the U.S. would respond “twenty times harder” and destroy key targets.
Iran responded with a strong message from Ali Ardashir Larijani of the Supreme National Security Council, warning Trump to “be careful not to be eliminated,” which was widely interpreted as an assassination threat.
The threat follows earlier reports that a U.S. military operation had already stopped a separate alleged Iranian plot targeting Trump.