Tehran Declares Hormuz Strait Closed as US Executes Third Round of Strikes on Iran

On Sunday, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz after a vessel navigating an unapproved route was struck. The IRGC warned that any retaliation would provoke a severe response.

In a statement, the IRGC navy said a ship that had compromised maritime security by disabling its tracking systems was hit and forced to stop, though no specifics about the vessel were provided.

Shortly afterward, U.S. Central Command announced that American forces had initiated a third round of strikes against Iran, stating that the United States was “imposing a heavy cost” to degrade Iran’s capacity to threaten civilian mariners and commercial shipping in the strait.

A Cyprus-flagged container ship targeted by Iran sustained significant engine room damage, and one civilian crew member is missing, according to U.S. Central Command.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency reported an incident nine nautical miles east of Oman, noting that a container ship suffered rear damage leading to an onboard fire.

Iranian authorities said several ships had attempted to transit via an unauthorized corridor despite warnings. The strait was declared closed “until further notice” and until “the end of U.S. interference in this region.” The IRGC navy added that aggression against Iran would be met with severe retaliation, including strikes on new enemy bases.

The confrontation unfolds as diplomatic efforts in Oman seek to secure the waterway’s future. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and his Omani counterpart Sayyid Badr Albusaidi discussed mechanisms for safe passage through Hormuz.

A senior Iranian source told Reuters that Iran, the U.S., Qatar, and Pakistan had agreed to a negotiated call arranged by mediators on Saturday during Araqchi’s visit to Oman, though the outcome remained unclear.

These diplomatic steps follow heated rhetoric between Tehran and Washington. Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, on Saturday pledged vengeance for the killing of his father, hours after President Donald Trump threatened harsh reprisals against any assassination attempt.

In his first message since his father’s funeral, Mojtaba Khamenei wrote that “vengeance is the will of our nation and must inevitably be carried out,” asserting that Iran had prepared a list of targets.

Earlier this week, both sides exchanged fire, undermining an interim truce aimed at ending a conflict that erupted in late February with massive U.S.-Israeli strikes killing then-supreme leader Ali Khamenei.

Trump has declared the ceasefire void while signaling openness to talks. Mediators continue to pursue a diplomatic solution, with Iranian media indicating a Qatari delegation visited Iran on Friday.

Previously, Trump posted on Truth Social that any assassination attempt would prompt the United States to “completely decimate” Iran.

He wrote that “1000 missiles are locked and loaded and aimed at the Islamic Republic of Iran, with thousands more to immediately follow” should Tehran act on its threats against the U.S. president.

According to Axios and Politico, Washington has issued a deadline of Saturday for Tehran to cease fire on commercial ships in Hormuz and affirm the waterway’s openness.

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