Iran could attempt to block the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait if the United States escalates its military campaign or launches a ground operation against the country, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Axar.az reports, citing Interfax, that according to people familiar with the matter, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has warned in recent days that if Washington intensifies its attacks or considers a ground invasion, Tehran could respond by attempting to shut the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Red Sea, including by targeting commercial vessels.

The report comes as tensions in the region continue to rise. In July, the Iran-backed Houthi movement and Saudi Arabia resumed exchanging strikes. The Houthis announced a maritime blockade of Saudi shipping, attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, and later claimed strikes on two Saudi Aramco facilities.

Efforts by Saudi Arabia and Egypt to persuade the Houthis to scale back their military activity have so far failed, the report said.

Earlier, Axios reported that U.S. President Donald Trump decided not to proceed with planned strikes on Iran, citing hopes for a diplomatic solution.