Iran declares Strait of Hormuz closed, U.S. says traffic normal
Tehran linked the move to Israeli strikes in Lebanon, while CENTCOM said Iran does not control the strait.
Iran declared the Strait of Hormuz closed to shipping in response to what it called U.S. violations of a peace memorandum and the continuing Israeli attacks in Lebanon. The statement was issued by the Khatam Al-Anbiya Central Headquarters and quoted by IRIB. According to Iran's military, Washington failed to carry out the first clause of the agreement, which includes a ceasefire across all fronts, including Lebanon. CNBC Indonesia also reported that Iran and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned ships to avoid the strategic waterway. CENTCOM denied any closure and said maritime traffic remained normal and was being monitored.