The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy has issued a direct warning to all maritime vessels: stay away from the Strait of Hormuz. The announcement, made on June 20, came after Iran declared the critical waterway closed until specific conditions are met, including the withdrawal of Israeli and US forces from the region.
Roughly 20-25% of global oil trade passes through this narrow chokepoint between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.
What triggered the closure
Iran framed the move as a direct response to Israeli military operations in Lebanon. Tehran views those actions as violations of an existing ceasefire agreement brokered with the US.
The IRGC didn’t mince words. Statements disseminated through maritime channels explicitly threatened to target any vessels that defied the closure orders.
