Kataib Hezbollah warns Strait of Hormuz will not be opened to enemies

On April 6, the Secretary-General of Kataib Hezbollah in Iraq, Abu Hussein al-Hamidawi, intensified his rhetoric, declaring that the Strait of Hormuz “will not be opened to enemies.” His statement came ahead of the deadline set by U.S. President Donald J. Trump on Tuesday evening for the reopening of the strategic waterway.

Trump had threatened strikes on Iranian infrastructure if the passage was not restored, according to Shafaq News.

Kataib Hezbollah is considered one of the Iraqi armed groups closest to Iran and is the most prominent faction within the so-called “Islamic Resistance in Iraq.”

Al-Hamidawi stated that the war against Iran has been ongoing for five weeks, warning that any attempt to forcibly open the strait would result in the destruction of “oil and gas platforms.” He added: “They must understand today’s formula: either security for all, or no one will be safe; either benefit for all, or all will be deprived of it.”

His statement came against the backdrop of Trump’s warning that Iran has until Tuesday evening to open the Strait of Hormuz, or “they will be left without power plants and intact bridges.” A few hours later, Trump posted a brief note on social media: “Tuesday, 8:00 PM ET,” without directly mentioning Iran.

Al-Hamidawi also noted: “They have begun seeking assistance from various parties to arrange a truce and evacuate their people… and the balance of power in the world changed after the death of (Iranian leader) Ali Khamenei.”

He further claimed that what he called the “Syrian front” “is part of our defensive war, which will have serious consequences for our enemies,” without providing further details, while calling for continued protests and donations in support of Iran.

Kataib Hezbollah is an Iraqi Shiite armed group founded in 2003 following the U.S. invasion of Iraq. It operates on the model of the Lebanese organisation Hezbollah and is under the direct control of a special unit of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.