Iran’s top military command orders closure of Strait of Hormuz to all vessels after fresh US aggression

Iran's highest operational command unit has ordered closure of the strategic Strait of Hormuz shortly after the launch of fresh American military aggression against the country, despite the Islamic Republic's warnings against such military adventurism.

"From this moment, due to insecurity in the region, the Strait of Hormuz is declared closed to the passage of all vessels, including oil tankers and commercial ships, and any traffic will be targeted," the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters said in a statement issued in early Thursday.

The headquarters noted that the order has been issued "following the continued acts of aggression by the criminal United States and in view of the start of attacks by that country's aggressive military against several areas in the southern province of Hormozgan."

"Claims by the United States that ships are transiting the aforementioned strait are rejected."

In an unequivocal warning, the headquarters additionally asserted that "the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic will deliver a forceful and decisive response to any aggression and hostile action by the aggressive and terrorist US military in the region."

IRGC strikes trespassing vessels

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC)'s Navy, meanwhile, issued a separate statement, announcing that the force had struck two vessels trying to cross the waterway illegally.

The IRGC Navy likewise noted that the waterway "will be closed until further notice."

"We warn that no vessel should depart from its anchorage in the Persian Gulf or the Sea of Oman. Any approach to the Strait of Hormuz will be regarded as cooperation with the enemy."

Iran has shut down the chokepoint to enemies and their allies since February 28, when the US and the Israeli regime began their latest bout of wholesale unprovoked attacks against the Islamic Republic.

It began exercising far stricter controls after US President Donald Trump announced continuation of an illegal naval blockade of Iranian vessels and ports in spite of a ceasefire that Trump, himself, had declared on April 7.

Prior to the announcement by the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, fresh explosions were reported across parts of Hormozgan and other southern regions of the Islamic Republic, as the US military confirmed launching a new wave of unprovoked assaults against the country.

The attacks came, although, the Iranian military had responded to the previous round of such ceasefire violations with concerted retaliatory strikes against the headquarters of the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain and missile operations against the American al-Azraq base in Jordan.

Both the headquarters and the IRGC had also warned that any fresh enemy miscalculation would be met with decisive reprisal as has been the case with all previous violations.

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