Middle East war: Escalation of conflict appears imminent as Trump threatens to ‘obliterate’ Iran

The United States and Iran appear poised to reignite a brutal conflict which has already killed thousands and devastated the global economy.

Both sides of the brutal war have warned of attacks in coming days, with US President Donald Trump saying the country’s only options left are “to obliterate Iran, letting it rot economically, or reach a deal”.

“My question is when, and if, I will blow up all of Iran, and they had better behave themselves,” Trump told Fox News on Sunday, local time.

His comments come after Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya military headquarters claimed to have gathered information which points towards the US getting the “green light from some regional countries, to resume actions against (Iran)“.

“We warn that if the countries of the region, by continuing their dual policy toward the Islamic Republic of Iran, align with the Great Satan’s aggression against a powerful and sovereign Iran they will all be considered complicit in this evil and can no longer expect restraint or decency from Iran’s powerful armed forces,” the military said.

It’s the latest threat of escalation in the conflict as both sides have been unable to find a compromise on ceasefire agreements or peace deals in recent months.

Control over the Strait of Hormuz, a shipping passage vital for the global supply of crude oil, has particularly remained a sticking point for both the US and Iran.

A volley of airstrikes was traded between the countries earlier this month over the route, which further escalated tensions in the region.

The Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen gained ground in the nearby Bab al-Mandab Strait following the attacks, severely limiting Saudi Arabia’s ability distribute its vast oil resources across the world.

Houthi strikes on the Saudi East-West Crude Oil Pipeline also disrupted the transport of oil across the country and has sent fuel prices across the globe skyrocketing .

Those attacks have proven to be a major instigator for the growing tensions, with the US virtual embassy in Iran warning American citizens in the region to be on high alert.

“Due to tensions in the Middle East, the security environment remains complex with the potential for unforeseen escalation,” the embassy said on Sunday, local time.

“Americans currently in the Middle East should exercise heightened vigilance and be aware of potential flight cancellations, airspace closures, and travel disruptions.”