Iran Closes Strait of Hormuz Again as Tensions with US Explode
Iran has once again closed the Strait of Hormuz after the United States launched strikes, reigniting tensions between the two nations. Explosions were heard near the strait after Washington acknowledged conducting defensive operations. Iranian media reported blasts in the southern port city of Bandar Abbas, Qeshm Island, and the towns of Minab and Sirik, with local sources citing enemy projectile attacks on Qeshm and the cities of Kargan and Sirik.
Quoting AFP on Thursday (11/6/2026), Iran announced it would target any ship transiting the Strait of Hormuz, having already struck two vessels attempting to pass through the strategic waterway. “All vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz will be targeted,” said the Khatam al-Anbiya command according to Tasnim news agency. Iran added that the strait is currently completely closed to all types of ships following the US bombardment nearby.
Iran’s navy, cited by state television IRIB and Mehr news agency, stated that “two ships attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz illegally have been struck.”
Iran also reportedly struck a US base in Bahrain. Iranian media reported that Iran attacked the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain following America’s strikes near the strait. “In this wave of military drone strikes, the communication antenna and Patriot system radar facilities of the Fifth Fleet were targeted,” Mehr and Fars news agencies posted on Telegram. Air raid warnings were issued in Bahrain, with the interior ministry urging residents to remain calm and head to the nearest shelter.
US President Donald Trump claimed senior Iranian officials called him after the US strikes, begging for the attacks to stop. Speaking to Fox News, Trump said the US bombing of Iran would cease soon but warned it would continue the following night if no deal is reached. He described the situation as “the most frequently violated ceasefire in world history.”
Meanwhile, Iran’s military issued a harsh threat, vowing a “devastating and decisive” response to any US aggression in the Middle East. The Khatam al-Anbiya headquarters stressed it would respond firmly to any hostile acts by the US military. President Trump countered with threats of harsher new strikes, accusing Tehran’s negotiators of “playing us” as peace talks stalled. “We’re going to hit them very hard,” Trump told reporters.
In a separate claim, Trump asserted that the US military secretly helped 100 million barrels of oil pass through the Strait of Hormuz despite Iran’s effective blockade. Posting on Truth Social, he claimed over 200 commercial vessels transited safely thanks to a covert mission he ordered to support oil tankers and other commercial ships amid the conflict.