The Iranian Armed Forces announced the complete closure of the Strait of Hormuz to all types of maritime vessels and oil tankers. This drastic escalation follows US military airstrikes that targeted strategic sites deep inside Iranian territory early Thursday morning.
\nIran’s state television quoted a statement from the “Khatam al-Anbiya Joint Headquarters,” which operates under the General Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, declaring: “We announce the definitive closure of the Strait of Hormuz to all types of ships.” The military headquarters emphasized that Tehran “will target any vessel attempting to navigate through the strait.”
\nA spokesperson for the Khatam al-Anbiya Headquarters dismissed American claims regarding the continued passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz as “completely false,” asserting that Iranian forces will respond decisively to any attempt to violate the closure order.
\nConcurrently, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)\u2014according to the official Tasnim News Agency\u2014warned that “any ship attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz will be targeted,” confirming that the directive applies strictly to “all types of vessels and oil tankers” without exception.
\nMinutes later, Iranian state media, citing the IRGC Navy, reported that two “violating” vessels had already been struck while attempting to cross the strait. The IRGC Navy issued a stern warning, stating that any approach toward the strategic waterway would be treated as “direct cooperation with the enemy.”
\nIn sharp contrast, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that international commercial vessels continue to transit the Strait of Hormuz safely, both inbound and outbound, tonight. Meanwhile, Iranian state television countered by broadcasting satellite imagery analysis that purports to show an absolute halt in maritime traffic within the strait.
\nThis dangerous retaliatory measure comes just hours after US Central Command launched heavy airstrikes against Iranian air defense systems and radar networks near the strait in response to what Washington labeled “ongoing Iranian aggression.” These events unfold amidst unconfirmed reports of maritime clashes between both forces in the Arabian Gulf and the Caspian Sea.
\nThe Strait of Hormuz is considered the world’s most critical strategic chokepoint, linking the Arabian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the open ocean. It serves as a vital artery for the global energy economy, with approximately 20% of the world’s daily petroleum supply transiting through its waters.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Iranian Armed Forces announced the complete closure of the Strait of Hormuz to all types of maritime vessels and oil tankers. This drastic escalation follows US military airstrikes that targeted strategic sites deep inside Iranian territory early Thursday morning. Iran’s state television quoted a statement from the “Khatam al-Anbiya Joint Headquarters,” which operates under<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":54234,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"googlesitekit_rrm_CAow0Jy2DA:productID":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[19830],"tags":[19973,19977,19967,19969,19891,19971,19975,19965],"class_list":["post-70559","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-latest-news-en","tag-centcom","tag-global-energy-crisis","tag-iran-us-military-escalation","tag-irgc-navy","tag-jnews-lebanon-en","tag-khatam-al-anbiya","tag-oil-tankers","tag-strait-of-hormuz-closure"],"yoast_head":"\n