Iran’s top military command just made things very clear. On July 8, Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, the Islamic Republic’s joint armed forces command, declared that any location supporting US military operations against Iran is now a legitimate target.
The statement came in response to what Iran labeled “blatant aggression,” referring to US strikes on southern Iran. The command promised a “crushing response,” a phrase that carries particular weight when the entity saying it controls access to the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway through which roughly a fifth of the world’s oil supply flows daily.
What’s actually happening on the ground
This isn’t a one-off statement. Khatam al-Anbiya has been issuing escalating warnings since March 2026, consistently threatening retaliatory strikes against US and Israeli energy and infrastructure facilities if Iranian assets are targeted.
The command has also threatened to close or regulate passage through the Strait of Hormuz for vessels that don’t comply with Iranian rules.
