Iran threatens to target US, Israeli officials worldwide

Iran’s military on Friday threatened to hunt down officials and army commanders from the United States and Israel, even while they were vacationing or visiting tourist destinations around the world. “We are watching your cowardly officials and commanders, pilots and wicked soldiers,” armed forces spokesman Abolfazl Shekarchi said, according to Iranian state television. “From now on, based on the information we have on you, the promenades, resorts and tourist and entertainment centres in the world will not be safe for you either,” he said. The remarks came as tensions remained high following a war that erupted on Feb. 28, when the United States and Israel began bombing Iran. Tehran responded with strikes across the Gulf region. An effective Iranian blockade has since paralyzed commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial maritime chokepoint. In peacetime, roughly a fifth of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas supplies pass through the narrow waterway. Global oil prices have spiked as a result of the conflict and the disruption to shipping. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday branded NATO allies “cowards” for not heeding his demand for military assistance against Iran to control the Strait of Hormuz shipping route. Trump has recently shifted between saying Washington needs no help securing the vital corridor for oil tankers and criticizing other countries for failing to provide assistance. “Without the U.S.A., NATO IS A PAPER TIGER!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social network. “They didn't want to join the fight to stop a Nuclear Powered Iran. Now that fight is Militarily WON, with very little danger for them, they complain about the high oil prices they are forced to pay, but don't want to help open the Strait of Hormuz, a simple military maneuver that is the single reason for the high oil prices,” Trump said. “So easy for them to do, with so little risk. COWARDS, and we will REMEMBER!” he added. The 79-year-old Republican, a long-term skeptic of the Western military alliance, has launched a series of attacks against NATO in recent days. On Thursday, six major international powers, including Britain, France, Germany and Japan, said they were ready to “contribute to appropriate efforts” to secure the Strait of Hormuz. However, they have not formally committed to any mission in the crucial waterway. Other allies, including Germany and Italy, have ruled out taking action before a truce is reached in the Middle East war. None of the countries Trump has called on to help was consulted before the U.S.-Israeli mission began, according to the information provided. The Strait of Hormuz is considered one of the world’s most strategically important waterways. The Iranian blockade has halted commercial shipping through the route, intensifying pressure on global energy markets. The conflict has heightened fears of a wider regional confrontation, as Iran and its adversaries exchange threats and military action across the Gulf. Iran’s latest warning suggests Tehran may seek to expand the scope of its response beyond the immediate battlefield, signaling that U.S. and Israeli officials could face risks even outside the region. At the same time, Trump’s criticism of NATO underscores divisions within the Western alliance over how to respond to the crisis and whether to participate in operations to secure the shipping lane. As the war continues to reverberate through global energy markets and diplomatic channels, both sides have sharpened their rhetoric, raising concerns about further escalation.