(Tehran, 12th) The Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Navy announced in the early hours of the 12th that, effective immediately, the Strait of Hormuz is closed and no vessels are allowed to pass.
According to Xinhua News Agency, the statement said that Iran had previously stated that interference by foreign powers in the affairs of the Strait of Hormuz and the illegal designation of shipping routes would be met with Iran’s “firm response.” Due to unsafe conditions caused by the illegal interference of foreign forces, the Strait of Hormuz is closed from now on until further notice and until the United States ceases its interference in the region.
The statement said that several hours earlier, several ships had attempted to navigate via routes not approved by Iran and ignored Iran’s instructions and warnings to correct course. One ship had switched off its automatic identification system and was subsequently struck by warning fire from Iran, causing it to halt.
The statement also warned that if the US uses this incident as a pretext to launch new attacks against Iran, Iran will deliver a fierce response and strike more US bases in the Middle East.
Third US Strike Against Iran This Week
According to the American news website Axios, citing a senior US official on the 11th, the US military successfully struck Iranian aerial surveillance radars, missile and drone storage facilities, missile and drone launch sites, maritime surveillance radars, and surface-to-air missile launchers on that day.
The US Central Command posted on social media on the 11th, stating that at 19:15 US Eastern Time, the US military launched strikes against Iran. This is the third time the US has attacked Iran this week.