Sources told Reuters on Thursday that Iran asked the Houthi group in Yemen to close the Bab el-Mandeb strait if the United States targets Iran's energy grid.

This came after previous Iranian warnings that the Strait of Hormuz is a 'red line' that must not be crossed, with threats to target all infrastructure in the Gulf region if US President Donald Trump carries out his threat to attack Iranian infrastructure.

In the context of escalation, the United States launched attacks on Wednesday evening for the fifth consecutive night, and reimposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports, a step Washington said aims to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran closed last Saturday after the collapse of a fragile ceasefire agreement.

Following the first strikes on Wednesday evening, Iran's chief negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf issued a statement saying: 'We are waging a fateful and existential war with America.'

For his part, Iranian army spokesman Brigadier Mohammad Akrami Nia confirmed on Thursday that the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20% of global oil and gas shipments passed before the war, is a 'red line' for Iran, stressing that Tehran retains full control over it.

Akrami Nia said: 'The Americans thought they could control this strategic strait by attacking some of our bases on the southern coasts of the country.'

He added: 'But the Islamic Republic of Iran has the ability to impose control over the Strait of Hormuz from any point within its territory, and this capability is not linked to coasts or islands in any way.'

In contrast, three US officials told Reuters that the American strikes aimed at forcing Iran to reopen the strait also target Iranian military capabilities that Washington seeks to destroy before carrying out 'more complex' operations.

The Iranian army had earlier confirmed, in reference to the Strait of Hormuz, that it 'will undoubtedly continue resistance until the end and will thwart American interventions in the region.'

An Iranian military spokesman also clarified that reopening the Strait of Hormuz is contingent on the United States' commitment to the 14-point memorandum of understanding signed by both sides in June, along with the implementation of 'Iranian regulations' regarding ship movement in the strait.

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