FEATURE | Trump warns Iran of harder strikes over oil blockade threat

Iran says it will determine end of war

The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps said it would not allow any oil to leave the region if attacks from the US and Israel continue. "We are the ones who will determine the end of the war," a spokesperson said, describing Trump's comments as "nonsense", according to state media.

In a later social media post, Trump repeated his warning. "If Iran does anything that stops the flow of Oil within the Strait of Hormuz, they will be hit by the United States of America TWENTY TIMES HARDER than they have been hit thus far," he said.

Saudi Aramco, the world's top oil exporter, warned on Tuesday of "catastrophic consequences" for global oil markets if the war continued to disrupt shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

The strait is the world's most vital oil export route, connecting the biggest Gulf oil producers with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. The war has already effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz, leaving tankers unable to sail for more than a week and forcing producers to halt pumping as storage facilities fill.