Hormuz fears rise as ships hit

Tehran [Iran], March 12: Several ships have been hit by projectiles in and near the Strait of Hormuz as Iran vowed to block oil shipments to the United States, Israel and their allies in a bid to increase the costs of the war.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) Centre said the ships were hit by "unknown projectiles" in The Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Iran's elite force, claimed responsibility for two attacks on ships off the country's south coast.
It said the Israeli-owned container ship Express Rome, which was flying under the Liberian flag, was fired at and stopped after warnings.The Thai-flagged freighter Mayuree Naree was also attacked after it ignored "warning signals and requests," an IRGC statement distributed by state radio said.
Even before the war began with US-Israeli airstrikes on Iran on February 28, experts had warned that Tehran's naval forces could severely disrupt oil trade through the Strait of Hormuz, which lies between Iran and Oman and is one of the most important shipping routes for global oil exports.
Iran's military leadership made this goal clear on Wednesday when it designated every ship transiting the strait bound for the US, Israel or their partners as a legitimate target for attacks.
"We will not allow a single litre of oil to be transported through the Strait of Hormuz for the benefit of the US, the Zionists and their partners," said a military spokesman for Khatam Al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, which takes command during wartime.
"Your vital centres and bases will burn one by one in the fire you have ignited," the spokesman continued. "And they will burn again and again." Addressing the US, the spokesman said: "You should know that you cannot keep oil and energy prices artificially low ... Expect a price of $200 per barrel, because the price of oil depends on the security of the region - and you are the source of this insecurity." US President Donald Trump had previously threatened Iran with heavy bombing if it blocked the Strait of Hormuz.
The US military said it had destroyed 16 Iranian mine-laying ships.
Mutual attacks continue unabated
Meanwhile, Israel and Iran continued to exchange attacks, and the US military reported ongoing attacks on targets in Iran.
Iran launched several waves of strikes at Israel and Gulf states early on Wednesday.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Iran's elite force, confirmed the 37th wave of strikes, which it said targeted Be'er Ya'akov, south-east of Tel Aviv, according to state radio.
The IRGC said ballistic missiles with multiple warheads were used in the attack and that US targets in Erbil and Bahrain had also been attacked.
Iranian attacks on other Gulf countries also continued, with authorities in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and Oman reporting Iranian drone and missile strikes, most of which were intercepted.
The Tasnim news agency, which is close to the IRGC, said the early morning barrage was Iran's heaviest since the war began. There were no reports of injuries or damage.
However, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said Iranian attacks with ballistic missiles and drones had decreased dramatically since the first 24 hours of US-Israeli strikes.
Israel's military responded with a new wave of attacks in Iran.
Iranian sources said Israeli fighter jets thundered over western Tehran on Wednesday afternoon as government supporters gathered for a large mourning ceremony for commanders killed in the war.
Trump says war could end 'soon'
In an interview with news outlet Axios, Trump said the war with Iran could end "soon" because there is "practically nothing left to target." But Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz rejected hopes for a quick conclusion.
"This operation will continue without any time limit for as long as necessary until we achieve all objectives and the battle is decided," Katz said during a meeting with military leadership at army headquarters in Tel Aviv, according to his office.
Source: Qatar Tribune