US military warns civilians to avoid port facilities used by Iranian navy

US Central Command (CENTCOM) urged civilians to keep clear of all port facilities in Iran

, saying that Iranian military operations justify potential attacks, while an ongoing investigation reportedly found the US to be responsible for a deadly missile strike on an Iranian elementary school.

CENTCOM said on Wednesday that the Iranian regime was using civilian ports along the Strait of Hormuz

to conduct military operations, which would make the ports legitimate military targets under international law.

Civilians should immediately avoid all port facilities, and Iranian dockworkers, administrative personnel and commercial vessel crews should avoid Iranian naval vessels and military equipment, CENTCOM said.

The warning came as the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway between Iran and Oman that is crucial for international oil shipping, became a central flashpoint in the escalating US-Iran conflict.

Shipping has effectively ground to a halt since the US launched air strikes against Iran nearly two weeks ago, as the world sees oil and gas prices continue to climb. US President Donald Trump threatened on Tuesday to hit Iran “20 times harder” with “death, fire and fury” if the country blocks the flow of oil and goods through the passage.