The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) is warning civilians in Iran to immediately avoid all ports along the Strait of Hormuz where Iranian naval forces are currently operating.
According to CENTCOM, the Iranian government is using civilian port facilities to conduct military operations that pose a threat to international shipping in the strategic waterway.
In a statement, the command said such actions place innocent lives at risk and warned that civilian ports used for military purposes could lose their protected status under international law.
CENTCOM added that facilities used in this way may be considered legitimate military targets.
Earlier, the command released footage it claims shows the destruction of 16 Iranian mine-laying vessels operating near the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical shipping routes for global energy supplies.
