Iran Closes Strait of Hormuz After Firing Warning Shots at Commercial Ship

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has officially announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz for an indefinite period. The drastic decision was taken after the elite force fired warning shots at a ship accused of navigating outside authorised shipping lanes. According to a report by the state news agency IRNA, the vessel was stopped after repeatedly ignoring IRGC warnings to remain within the designated shipping corridor. ‘The ship was hit by warning shots and stopped after ignoring repeated instructions to use the approved shipping corridor,’ the official statement read. The IRGC stated that the strategic maritime passage would remain closed until Tehran’s demands are met, insisting that no vessels would be permitted to transit until American intervention in the region ceases. ‘After this incident, the Strait of Hormuz will be closed until further notice and until the end of American intervention in this region,’ the force declared. They also warned that they would target new enemy military bases if Iran is subjected to further military attacks. The closure escalates an already tense diplomatic standoff. Prior to the incident, reports indicated that Washington had given Tehran a deadline to cease disruptions to commercial shipping and to formally recognise the Strait of Hormuz as open international waters. Iran claims sovereign rights to regulate traffic in the narrow channel, including plans to impose tolls on passing vessels, while the United States insists on the principle of unrestricted freedom of navigation. The international community is now bracing for the economic fallout from the closure of one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints.