Iran’s military command shut down the Strait of Hormuz on June 20, blocking all vessel traffic through the narrow waterway that connects the Persian Gulf to the open ocean. The closure, announced by the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, was framed as a direct response to what Tehran calls violations of a ceasefire memorandum of understanding by the US and Israel.
The Strait of Hormuz handles approximately 20% of global seaborne oil trade.
A conflict that keeps escalating
The current standoff traces back to February 28, 2026, when US and Israeli military strikes triggered what has since been labeled the 2026 Iran conflict. Since late February, vessel traffic through the strait has been disrupted repeatedly, with temporary openings tied to fragile negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
Temporary reopenings occurred in April and again in mid-June, offering brief windows of relief before tensions ratcheted back up. The June 20 closure represents the latest and most emphatic shutdown, coming just days after the most recent reopening had raised cautious optimism.
