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Iran has claimed "complete control" over the Strait of Hormuz as Britain is warned of "significant consequences" on the oil and gas industries. Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy official Mohammad Akbarzadeh said: "Currently, the Strait of Hormuz is under the complete control of the Islamic Republic's Navy."

The strait, located between Iran and Oman, is one of the world's most critical maritime chokepoints - a narrow passage through which a significant share of global shipments must pass. It's estimated that about a fifth of the world's oil supplies have to travel through the 50-mile-wide strait, which is where experts say the problems will lie for Britain.

Dr Jonathan Owens, a supply chain expert and Senior Lecturer in Operations Management at the University of Salford, explained that disruption to the Strait of Hormuz will drive oil and gas prices up, affecting a variety of industries.

He said: "For the United Kingdom, the consequences of any sustained disruption could be significant. Although the UK imports oil and liquefied natural gas from a variety of sources, global energy markets are interconnected.

"If supplies through the Strait of Hormuz are reduced, competition for alternative sources intensifies, driving up prices worldwide.

"Higher energy costs would affect transportation, manufacturing, and food production, placing additional strain on UK supply chains already challenged by post-pandemic adjustments and new trading arrangements."

This comes after Iran said it will bomb any tankers trying to pass through, and won't let "a single drop of oil" leave the region after closing the critically important route.

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IRGC Brigadier General Ebrahim Jabbari said: "The Strait (of Hormuz) is closed. If anyone tries to pass, the heroes of the Revolutionary Guards and the regular navy will set those ships ablaze."

He added that Iran would strike oil pipelines and infrastructure across the Middle East to block exports.

"We will also attack oil pipelines and will not allow a single drop of oil to leave the region," he said, predicting that "oil prices will reach $200 in the coming days".

Dr Owens stressed that the strait must remain stable or risk disruption to the UK's supply chains and economic security.

He added: "The stability of the Strait of Hormuz is therefore not just a Middle Eastern concern but a matter of economic security for countries like the United Kingdom, whose supply chains depend on predictable and secure international trade routes."