Iran shuts Strait of Hormuz again

In a sharp escalation of regional hostilities, Iran has shut down the strategic Strait of Hormuz until further notice in response to US military strikes. Iranian officials have warned that any vessel attempting to navigate the vital waterway will be targeted, asserting that Washington’s actions have pushed diplomatic solutions out of reach.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced the closure, citing repeated ceasefire violations by US forces on Thursday. In an official statement, the IRGC claimed it had already struck two oil tankers attempting to illegally cross the strait and issued a blanket threat to all maritime traffic, including commercial ships and oil tankers, navigating the route, reports Al Jazeera.

The announcement was accompanied by a wave of synchronized Iranian attacks early Thursday morning targeting key military installations housing US forces across the region. The IRGC confirmed launching drone strikes against the Shaikh Isa Air Base in Bahrain, which triggered airspace attack sirens twice across the island nation, as well as the Ali Al Salem and Ahmad al-Jaber air bases in Kuwait. Kuwaiti authorities confirmed that their air defense systems actively engaged and intercepted hostile aerial vehicles. Furthermore, Iran fired twelve ballistic missiles at the Al-Azraq Air Base in Jordan. Explosions were also reported in the southern Iranian city of Kargan, leaving at least two people injured.

These retaliatory strikes followed a massive four-hour operation executed by the United States. US Central Command reported that beginning at 10:15pm local time on Wednesday, US forces successfully dismantled Iran’s military surveillance capabilities, communication networks, and air defense installations inside Iranian territory. CENTCOM stated that the strikes on multiple targets within Iran were executed at the direction of US President Donald Trump in response to Iran's unprovoked and continued aggression.

The latest conflict erupted after a US Apache helicopter was shot down over the Strait of Hormuz. Washington blamed Tehran for the incident, confirming that both pilots were safely rescued. The helicopter downing triggered the current cycle of heavy, direct military retaliation between the two nations.