Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps declared the Strait of Hormuz closed on July 11 after attacking the Cyprus-flagged container ship GFS Galaxy, accusing it of taking an “unauthorized route” through the narrow waterway. The US responded within hours, with CENTCOM launching strikes against Iranian military positions near the Strait.
For context, roughly 20% of the world’s oil trade squeezes through this 21-mile-wide passage between Iran and Oman.
What happened and why it matters
The IRGC’s attack on the GFS Galaxy and subsequent closure declaration marked a dramatic escalation in the 2026 Iran War, which had been simmering under a fragile ceasefire agreed upon in June.
CENTCOM’s retaliatory strikes represent the third US military action in the region in a short timeframe.
