Iran announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz; the U.S. responded
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced the complete closure of the Strait of Hormuz to all vessels and threatened to use force against ships attempting to pass through the strategic waterway. Meanwhile, U.S. Central Command has denied this report, stating that shipping in the strait continues.
“Effective immediately, due to the danger in the region, the Strait of Hormuz is declared closed to all vessels. Any vessel attempting to pass through the strait will be attacked,” reads a statement from the IRGC published on the organization’s official Telegram channel. The decision took effect after the U.S. launched new strikes against Iran.
CENTCOM responded promptly to the statement, calling it false. “Commercial vessels continue to pass through the Strait of Hormuz and back tonight,” reads a post by Central Command on X.
The strategic waterway has effectively been paralyzed since the start of the U.S.-Iran conflict. According to JPMorgan estimates, visible traffic through the strait amounted to only 15% of pre-war levels. Since the start of the conflict, Iran has threatened to attack any vessel attempting to pass through the strait without IRGC permission. Last month, Tehran announced new rules for ships seeking such permission.
This was reported by CNN and CENTCOM.
Earlier, Iran launched a missile strike on the Ali Al-Salem Air Base in Kuwait, where U.S. military personnel and contractors were stationed. The attack resulted in minor injuries among personnel and damage to U.S. drones. The incident occurred amid U.S. efforts to negotiate an extension of the ceasefire with Tehran.
