The IRGC announced the formal closure of the Strait of Hormuz to all shipping, citing ongoing Israeli operations in Lebanon and the U.S. failure to enforce the ceasefire terms in the bilateral understanding. The IRGC warned that the closure is a 'first step' and that further measures will follow if the alleged violations continue.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced the formal closure of the Strait of Hormuz to all shipping at 17:06 Jerusalem time Saturday, warning that the move is a 'first step' in response to what Iran alleges are ongoing Israeli operations in Lebanon and a U.S. failure to enforce ceasefire terms. The IRGC's Khatam al-Anbiya emergency headquarters framed the closure as an initial measure, stating that 'further steps will follow' if the alleged violations persist. The announcement, which came just after The Zioneer reported the initial IRGC closure declaration at 16:12, marks the culmination of a rapid escalation that saw the same core announcement issued multiple times within minutes through various Iranian channels and outlets.
The Zioneer had reported progressively harder Iranian demands throughout the day. At 16:12 Jerusalem, multiple thread items appeared nearly simultaneously: the IRGC first announced a closure citing Israeli strikes in Lebanon, then cited violations of U.S.-brokered understandings, and finally a Khatam al-Anbiya command statement formally ordered the closure citing ceasefire violations and a 'massacre.' By 16:53, The Zioneer had summarized the official IRGC statement. The 17:06 announcement added the explicit 'first step' warning, sharpening Tehran's escalatory language. The thread's corroboration evolved from a single official source early on to multiple overlapping Iranian statements and media reports, though all remain attributed to Iranian state channels and no independent verification of the alleged violations has been provided.
As The Zioneer reported on Friday, Tasnim — Iran's semi-official news agency — had already called for the foreign ministry to close the strait, and Iranian officials had linked the strait's reopening to a full Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon. The IRGC statement attributes the alleged violations to the continued IDF presence in southern Lebanon, which the understanding had required to end by a fixed deadline — though no full text of the understanding has been made public by either side.
It remains unclear whether tanker traffic already in the strait will be allowed to complete passage, and no timeframe for the closure was specified. Western officials have not yet formally responded. The global oil market will likely react sharply to the closure of the strait, through which approximately 20% of the world's oil transits.
12 developments
- StrongIran reportedly closes Strait of Hormuz as IDF braces for multi-day fighting
- StrongIranian state media calls on foreign ministry to close Strait of Hormuz over Israel's Lebanon presence
- ConfirmedNew Iranian body declares Strait of Hormuz closed until further notice
- DevelopingIranian Armed Forces confirm they are enforcing Strait of Hormuz blockade after explosions, Tasnim reports
Source and signal
- Internal intake