Iran has declared the closure of the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, warning that any vessel attempting to navigate the waterway will be “set ablaze,” according to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The announcement was made by Ibrahim Jaberi, senior adviser to the IRGC commander, and reported by Iranian state media on Monday.
The declaration has heightened tensions across the Persian Gulf region and sparked fears of significant instability in global oil markets. The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow 33-kilometer-wide waterway, channels nearly 20 percent of the world’s daily oil supply, connecting major producers such as Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and the United Arab Emirates to the Arabian Sea.
While Iran claims full closure, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) reports that the strait remains open for navigation. Nevertheless, the IRGC claims it launched a drone attack on a U.S.-linked oil tanker named ‘Athe Nova’, causing a fire that continues to burn after two drones struck the vessel.
The current standoff is linked to the February 28 U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran, which reportedly resulted in the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, escalating conflict between Tehran and Western nations. In response, Iran has conducted multiple ballistic missile strikes on U.S. military bases in Israel and neighboring countries, including Qatar, Kuwait, and the UAE. Tehran had long warned that any attack on its territory would prompt it to shut down this critical energy artery—a warning now being enacted.
The announcement triggered immediate economic repercussions. Global oil prices surged 13 percent on Monday, marking the highest jump in the past year. Analysts warn that, combined with recent Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, the standoff in the Strait of Hormuz could push the global economy into a period of severe uncertainty.
Source: Times of Israel.