Iran announces it is closing the Strait of Hormuz to vessel traffic again, citing alleged violations linked to fighting in southern Lebanon. Iran’s top joint military command says the Strait will be closed following “Israeli attacks on southern Lebanon,” describing the move as a first step in response to what it calls a breach of commitments. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps later confirms the closure and warns vessels not to approach the strait, saying their security could be compromised. In Iran’s account, the closure is also tied to US breaches of a ceasefire agreement. The announcements come amid renewed Israeli strikes across southern Lebanon reported by Lebanese agencies, with multiple areas including Nabatieh, Tyre and villages near Sidon described as targeted.
Iran had effectively kept the strait closed for nearly four months after fighting began in late February, and it briefly reopened after a preliminary agreement between US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian earlier in the week that included halting hostilities on all fronts, including Lebanon. Separate reporting says the strait will not reopen until Lebanon’s ceasefire holds and until waivers allowing Iranian oil sales are issued, and that implementation discussions are taking place in Switzerland.
