DUBAI — Iran declared the Strait of Hormuz closed on Sunday and said it had struck a commercial vessel it accused of using an unauthorized route, sharply escalating tensions in one of the world's most important maritime trade corridors as the United States condemned the move and demanded the restoration of unrestricted navigation.
The Navy of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said the vessel had "jeopardized maritime security" by switching off its tracking systems and failing to comply with repeated warnings. Iranian authorities did not identify the ship or provide details on casualties or damage. They also announced that the strait would remain closed "until further notice" and until what they described as the end of U.S. interference in the region.
The latest confrontation followed an attack on a Cyprus-flagged commercial vessel in the Strait of Hormuz that U.S. officials attributed to Iranian forces. According to U.S. Central Command, the ship suffered significant damage and its crew abandoned the vessel after a fire broke out on board. One Indian crew member remained missing, according to U.S. officials.
Washington responded with a new round of strikes against Iranian military targets, saying the operation was intended to deter further attacks on commercial shipping and preserve freedom of navigation through the strategic waterway. U.S. officials reiterated that Tehran must publicly commit to ending attacks on merchant vessels and allow ships to transit without restrictions.
Iran warned that any additional military action against it would trigger a "severe response" and said further regional targets could be attacked if hostilities continued. Separately, missile and drone attacks linked to Iran prompted air raid alerts in several Gulf states, according to local authorities and regional media reports.
Despite Tehran's declaration, the Joint Maritime Information Center said commercial traffic was continuing through parts of the Strait of Hormuz, indicating that the southern shipping lane remained operational. The U.S. military also said maritime movement had not completely stopped, underscoring conflicting assessments of conditions in the waterway.
The Strait of Hormuz carries a substantial share of the world's seaborne oil and liquefied natural gas exports, making any disruption a major concern for global energy markets and international shipping. Maritime security agencies have continued to warn that the risk to commercial vessels operating in the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman remains high.
Diplomatic efforts involving regional mediators remained under way on Sunday, but no agreement had been announced to restore unrestricted navigation or reduce the military confrontation.
