Zillar Barta Desk ,Tehran: Iran has taken a provocative swipe at the United States by releasing a “Minesweeper”-style animated video centred on the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, as tensions between Tehran and Washington continue to escalate.

The Iranian Embassy in Sierra Leone shared a 35-second animated clip showing a 3D map of the Strait of Hormuz covered with a grid resembling the classic computer game Minesweeper. The post was accompanied by the taunting message, “Habibi (Uncle Sam), come to Iran!”

The video appears to reference the growing dispute over naval mines and freedom of navigation through the Strait, one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints.

The post came days after US forces struck Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz. Washington said the launchers were allegedly being prepared for use in deploying mines in the waterway, potentially threatening international shipping.

Iran’s use of the Minesweeper theme has added a layer of symbolism to the escalating confrontation. The game’s central concept of navigating a grid while avoiding hidden mines appears to mirror the military and maritime risks surrounding the Strait.

The Strait of Hormuz remains critically important to global energy markets, making any disruption to shipping through the waterway a major international concern.

The latest exchange highlights the increasingly confrontational rhetoric between Washington and Tehran, with the strategic waterway emerging as a key flashpoint in the ongoing tensions.