Iran closes Strait of Hormuz over Israel's Lebanon strikes, US says traffic unaffected

Iran announces closure

Iran’s armed forces ordered the closure of the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, calling it the first step in retaliation for Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon that Tehran says violate the ceasefire brokered by the United States. The Jatam al Anbiya command warned that "further measures have been planned and will be executed" if the aggression continues. The Revolutionary Guard Corps had earlier radioed a warning to oil tankers: "Do not approach the Strait of Hormuz; otherwise, your safety will be compromised."

In view of the clear violation by the United States of the first clause of the memorandum of understanding to end the war, and in response to the relentless ceasefire violations by the Zionist regime in southern Lebanon, the Strait of Hormuz will be closed to maritime traffic.

About 20% of the world’s oil passes through the narrow waterway, which Iran first blocked at the outbreak of wider hostilities on 28 February. The closure is the first tangible consequence of the fragile ceasefire’s collapse.

U.S. response: traffic unaffected

Washington rejected the notion that the strait was actually shut. The US Central Command said 55 merchant vessels transited safely on Saturday, carrying more than 17 million barrels of crude and goods, an increase over Friday. Vice president JD Vance challenged reporters to "check how these ships continue to move." A UK maritime trade operations centre added that all vessels could pass "without arbitrary requirements or impediments."

Yesterday 16 million barrels of oil were transported through the Strait of Hormuz. You can see how these ships continue to move.

President Trump, in a social media post, ruled out tolls during the 60‑day ceasefire but warned that the United States would impose its own charges if a final agreement with Iran is not completed. He described the US as the "guardian angel" of the Middle East and said a toll would be fair "for the return of costs."

Violence in Lebanon defies truce

A US-backed ceasefire was announced on Friday, but Israeli forces launched fresh strikes against Hezbollah positions. Lebanese health authorities reported at least 47 killed on Friday and at least 16 more on Saturday, including one soldier. Since the Israeli offensive began on 2 March, according to Lebanese figures, 3,980 people have died and over 12,000 have been wounded. Hezbollah and the Israeli military each said they were adhering to the truce even as the attacks continued.

Diplomacy postponed

The violence prompted Iran to suspend negotiations that had been scheduled for Friday. High‑level delegations led by US vice president JD Vance and Iranian parliament speaker Mohamad Baqer Qalibaf will now meet on Sunday in Switzerland, where they had been working toward a permanent deal covering Iran’s nuclear programme and a broader regional settlement.

The memorandum signed last week contains 14 points, with the first requiring the United States to guarantee the cessation of all Israeli operations in Lebanon. Iran’s announcement that the US had failed to deliver on that promise now threatens to unravel the entire framework.