Iran closes Strait of Hormuz to all vessels, citing regional insecurity

Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Headquarters, the military command responsible for prosecuting the war, announced on Thursday that the Strait of Hormuz is closed to all types of vessels, including oil tankers and commercial ships. “Due to insecurity in the region, as of now, the Strait of Hormuz is closed to all vessels, including oil tankers and commercial ships, and any attempt at transit will be intercepted,” the statement said. Following the warning, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it struck two vessels attempting illegal passage through the strait.

Escalation of crisis

The closure marks a dramatic escalation in the US-Iran conflict, which began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran on Feb. 28. Iran had previously imposed restrictions on shipping but had not issued a complete closure. The decision came after US Central Command announced new strikes on Iranian surveillance, communications, and air defense sites across Iran, following Iran’s downing of a US Apache helicopter over the strait. The strait is a critical chokepoint for global oil and LNG flows, with about 20% of the world’s oil passing through it daily.