Iran Closes Strait of Hormuz After Fresh Strikes on US Targets

Iran has announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz following a fresh escalation in hostilities with the United States, after a naval confrontation in the strategic waterway and new strikes targeting American interests across the Middle East. 

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it fired a naval cruise missile at a vessel it accused of using an unauthorised route through the Strait of Hormuz.

According to Iranian authorities, the vessel was struck with warning fire after allegedly ignoring repeated instructions to alter its course. The incident prompted a fresh wave of US military strikes, which Tehran said targeted Iranian positions following the confrontation. 

In response, the IRGC announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz until further notice, declaring that no vessel or naval craft would be permitted to pass through the strategic waterway.

In a statement published by Iran’s Tasnim News Agency, the IRGC accused foreign powers of unlawful interference in the Gulf through unauthorised maritime activities.

“Given the precariousness that was caused by this unlawful interference by outside parties, the Strait of Hormuz is to be closed until further notice and until regional interference by the US ceases,” the statement said.

It also warned that any American response to the closure would trigger a strong military reaction and that US military bases and allied facilities in the region could become targets. 

Meanwhile, Iran’s parliamentary speaker and chief negotiator with the United States, Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf, said the era of one-sided agreements had come to an end.

“We told you: keep your word or pay the price. Reality is knocking,” Ghalibaf wrote on X.

The Strait of Hormuz links the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and remains one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints, with a significant share of global oil exports passing through the route. Any prolonged disruption is expected to have major implications for global energy markets, shipping and international trade.