The Strait of Hormuz, which had been opened in line with the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon, was effectively resealed just one day after reopening.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said the Strait of Hormuz has been closed since the evening of the 18th (local time) and will not reopen until the United States lifts its maritime blockade against Iran.
According to Yonhap News, Xinhua reported that the IRGC Navy said in a statement posted on its own propaganda outlet, the Sepah News website, that "any attempt to approach the Strait of Hormuz will be regarded as cooperation with the enemy, and such vessels will become targets of attack."
The IRGC claimed the measure was taken because the United States violated the two-week ceasefire that began on the 8th by failing to lift its blockade against Iranian vessels and ports.
The IRGC Navy demanded that ships and their owners follow its official announcements through IRGC channels and the emergency frequency (VHF Channel 16), saying U.S. President Donald Trump's statement on the Strait of Hormuz has no credibility.
Earlier, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi declared the previous day, following the announcement of the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire, that "navigation of all merchant vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz will be fully permitted for the remainder of the ceasefire period."
However, just one day after Araghchi's announcement, the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, which integrates command over Iranian forces, cited the U.S. blockade against Iran and announced that the Iranian military would once again take control of vessel passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
More than 10 tankers were reportedly able to pass through the strait during its brief reopening, but following the Iranian military's announcement of the reclosure, tankers and container ships consecutively reported attacks to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).
The two-week conditional ceasefire between the United States and Iran is set to end on the 22nd (Iran time, the 21st in U.S. time), but a schedule for a second round of negotiations between the two sides has yet to be confirmed. Amid this, U.S. President Donald Trump said, "Iran tried to close the strait again," and "they cannot intimidate us." He added, "Negotiations are going well, and we will learn more information later today."
There is now reason to believe war could break out anywhere, anytime.
