Welcome to the News Hour. The Persian Gulf energy crunch deepened today as the U.S. and Israel launched new strikes on Iranian targets.

Iran struck back across the region and effectively shut down the vital strait of Hormuz,

prompting countries around the world to take unprecedented steps to keep oil flowing.

We begin tonight with special correspondent,ela Molana Allen from Qatar.

The roiling waters of the Persian Gulf further inflamed. After Iranian missiles this morning struck

three cargo ships, this one manned by the Thai Navy, engulfed by fire. Near one of the world's

most critical oil passageways, the

Strait of Hormuz, which snakes between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula, maritime groups say

in all Iran has struck at least a dozen vessels there, effectively bringing traffic to a halt,

and global energy fears to an all-time high. Today, Iran pledged it won't hold back.

We will never allow even a single liter of oil to pass through the Strait of Hormuz

for the benefit of the United States, the Zionists or their partners.

Any vessel whose ship or oil cargo belongs to them will be considered a legitimate target.

The situation has caused energy prices around the world to skyrocket.

To offset the surge, an unprecedented response from the International Energy Agency,

which announced it would release 400 million barrels of oil from its emergency stocks.

That's roughly 20 days' worth of the straits exports,

making it the largest distribution of reserves in history. IEA director Fati Beryl.

This is a major action aiming to alleviate the immediate impacts of the disruption in markets. But to be clear, the most important thing for a return

to stable flows of oil and gas is the resumption of transit through the state of Hormuz.

It all comes amid fears that Iran is preparing to mine the Strait of Hormuz in an effort

to shut down shipping altogether.

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