Iran shuts Hormuz strait: But wasnât it already closed?
The strait is one of the worldâs most important maritime routes, through which 20 percent of global oil and natural gas is shipped in peacetime
The strait is one of the worldâs most important maritime routes, through which 20 percent of global oil and natural gas is shipped in peacetime. Iran has announced that the Strait of Hormuz has been completely closed to all oil tankers and commercial ships in response to recent US strikes on the country, and stated any vessel attempting to pass would be shot â at. The strait is one of the worldâs most important maritime routes, as it is the only route to the open sea for oil producers in the Gulf. In peacetime, 20 percent of global oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) is shipped through it. Following the first US-Israel strikes on Tehran on February 28, Iran closed the passage to shipping traffic. The waterway remains Iranâs most significant leverage in ongoing peace negotiations with the United States. Since then, Iran has, at times, allowed some ships to pass â in some cases, reportedly charging tolls as high as $2m per ship to pass. So why has Iran announced the full closure of the Strait of Hormuz once again, now? Hereâs what we know What has led to the latest closure announcement? Iranâs military ordered the complete closure of the Strait of Hormuz early on Thursday in response to US strikes on the country, which have continued for several days this week. The US responded by saying some ships were still getting through. On Tuesday, Iranian media reported explosions in the southern port city of Bandar Abbas and on the nearby island of Qeshm and said water reservoirs supplying 20,000 people had also been destroyed in US strikes on Iranâs southern Sirik region. The US Central Command (CENTCOM) described the strikes as âself-defenseâ. It said they were âa proportional response to recent attacks on US forces and international commercial ships transiting regional watersâ, including the downing of a US Apache attack helicopter over the Strait of Hormuz on Monday. Iran has denied deliberately targeting the helicopter and the US said it is investigating the incident. Despite hopes that the exchanges could be contained, the incident quickly spiralled. Iranâs Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) responded to Tuesdayâs US strikes by launching a drone attack on the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, according to state media. It also announced that its Aerospace Force had launched long-range, solid-fuel missiles at an airbase in Jordan. Jordanâs military said it had shot down five missiles launched from Iran, while Kuwaitâs military said it was âintercepting hostile aerial targetsâ. Air raid sirens were also activated in Bahrain. The IRGC warned that heavier retaliatory measures would follow if the US military âaggressionâ continued. On Wednesday, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that Washington was, indeed, launching new strikes on âkey facilitiesâ in Iran, saying the attacks were part of attempts to secure a permanent ceasefire. Speaking outside CENTCOM headquarters in Tampa, Florida, Hegseth said President Donald Trump had ordered that Iran be hit âhardâ and warned the strikes could continue for a second consecutive night if necessary. US President Donald Trump said: âTheyâve taken too long to negotiate a deal that would have been great for them; now they will have to pay the price.â The US followed this with another round of air strikes on Iran on Wednesday while Tehran launched more retaliatory attacks at US assets in Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan. Iranâs Foreign Ministry condemned Wednesdayâs âunlawful and criminal attacksâ carried out by the US, adding that it has rendered the ceasefire âuselessâ. Is the ceasefire at risk? Following the breakdown of direct talks in Islamabad on April 12, the US and Iran have been exchanging a series of proposals and counter-proposals for a peace deal via mediators in Pakistan.
The BriefWire