Iran Hints at Closing Waters to US as Punishment Over Gaza

The Houthis, a group in Yemen tied to Iran, has been attacking commercial ships in the Red Sea in what it says is an operation to support Gaza. An Iranian military leader now has suggested a broadening of that effort that would close waterways to US traffic as punishment over Israel's offensive, Reuters reports. "They shall soon await the closure of the Mediterranean Sea, (the Strait of) Gibraltar and other waterways," Brig. Gen. Mohammad Reza Naqdi of the Revolutionary Guards was quoted as saying by Iranian media.

The White House officials on Friday described Iran as "deeply involved" in the Red Sea attacks. Iran lacks direct access to the Mediterranean, and Naqdi didn't say how the Revolutionary Guards could manage to close it to the US. He did talk about "the birth of new powers of resistance and the closure of other waterways." Iran has accused Israel of crimes in Gaza and blames the US for supporting Israel. The Houthis back Hamas in the war. (More Israel-Hamas war stories.)