US Insists Strait of Hormuz Remains Open Despite Iran’s Closure Declaration

The United States has insisted that the Strait of Hormuz remains open to international shipping, rejecting Iran’s declaration that the strategic waterway has been closed following renewed military confrontations in the Middle East.

The latest dispute followed an Iranian attack on a commercial vessel transiting the strait, forcing its crew to abandon the ship after it caught fire. The incident triggered another round of US strikes on Iranian targets, further escalating tensions between the two countries.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced on Sunday that the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until further notice, accusing foreign powers of unlawful interference in the waterway.

According to Iran’s state news agency IRNA, the Guards said the closure would remain in effect until American intervention in the region ceased.

The US Central Command, however, rejected the claim, stating that the international waterway remained open to lawful maritime traffic.

“The Strait of Hormuz is open to all vessels seeking to lawfully transit the international waterway,” the command said on X, adding that US forces remained deployed to safeguard freedom of navigation.

Iran claimed it targeted two vessels for allegedly ignoring approved transit routes, while the United States accused Tehran of launching an unprovoked attack on a commercial ship.

The US military said it responded by striking about 140 targets across Iran in what it described as its third round of operations this week. Iranian media reported explosions in Bandar Abbas, Sirik, Jask, Qeshm Island and Khuzestan Province.

The escalation also spread across the Gulf, with Iran launching attacks towards Qatar, Bahrain, Oman and other locations. Qatar confirmed three people were injured, while other Gulf countries reported intercepting or monitoring incoming missiles.

The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints, carrying a significant share of global oil and gas exports, making any disruption a major concern for international energy markets.