'Death, fire, fury': Trump says US will hit Iran 'twenty times harder' if it stopped oil flow in Strait of Hormuz

United States President Donald Trump has warned that the US ⁠would hit Iran much ⁠harder if Iran stopped ‌the flow ​of oil through the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping lane for oil.

"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," Trump wrote ‌on social media.

The President threatened wider destruction if Iran attempted to block the passage.

"Additionally, ‌we will take out ‌easily destroyable ‌targets that will make it virtually impossible for Iran to ⁠ever ⁠be built back, as a Nation, again — Death, Fire, and Fury will reign upon them — But I hope, and ​pray, that it ​does not ​happen!"

Trump said that keeping open the shipping lanes through the strait would benefit countries that are heavily dependent on the route for oil supplies.

"This is a gift from the United States of America to China, and all of those Nations that heavily use the Hormuz Strait. Hopefully, it is a gesture that will be greatly appreciated."

The warning comes at a time of heightened tensions in West Asia following the US-Israel confrontation with Iran.

Earlier, Trump had indicated that the US could take steps to secure the route — a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman carrying a significant share of global crude oil exports from Gulf countries — including deploying the United States Navy to escort commercial tankers through the strait.

The ongoing conflict in West Asia has triggered what analysts are calling the largest oil supply shock in modern history, after the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz disrupted nearly 20 million barrels of oil per day.