Iran threatens 'forceful response' against vessels ignoring its Strait of Hormuz routes

The warning

Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya military command issued a statement on Thursday, broadcast on state television, demanding all oil tankers and commercial ships use its designated navigation routes in the Strait of Hormuz. Any deviation would trigger an "immediate and forceful response" endangering the violating vessels. The statement also said the presence of US fighter jets over the strait "causes insecurity."

Any failure to comply, deviation from the designated route, or disregard for the navigation protocols of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the Strait of Hormuz will be met with an immediate and forceful response from the armed forces, endangering the security of the violating vessels.

Context of the threat

The warning came a day after US Central Command (CENTCOM) hosted a security dialogue in Bahrain where regional leaders pledged to ensure the free flow of commerce through the strait. Iran's deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi dismissed the meeting, saying on X that "Hormuz is defined under Iran's command, not Centcom" and that regional security requires a US withdrawal. The threat also follows indirect US-Iran negotiations in Qatar, which mediators described as making "positive progress" toward a lasting peace.

The region's security will be ensured through the end of interventions and the US withdrawal from the area, respect for countries' sovereignty, and acceptance of new geopolitical realities - not under the military umbrella of America.

The toll dispute

Behind the route demand lies a broader struggle over control and revenue. The US and Oman have been trying to end Iran's insistence on charging tolls for passage, offering access to frozen funds, but Iran insists on maintaining control. Some European governments now accept that some form of service fee to Iran and Oman is inevitable, according to Bloomberg. The Wall Street Journal reported that the US is "dangling rewards" for opening the strait, but Iran isn't budging.

Recent violence and fragile ceasefire

At least 49 attacks on commercial vessels have been recorded in the strait since the war began on February 28, according to MarineTraffic. On Thursday, drone attacks hit a Singapore-flagged cargo ship and a Panama-flagged merchant vessel. Earlier, an Iranian attack on a ship using an unapproved route provoked the first exchange of fire between US and Iranian forces since the June 17 ceasefire. Iran also struck US bases in Kuwait and Bahrain after US bombings on its southern coast. Despite the flare-ups, US President Donald Trump told reporters that "denuclearisation of Iran is moving along well" and that "very good meetings" were held in Qatar.

The denuclearisation of Iran is moving along well.

Traffic and risks

While more than 60 vessels transited the strait in a 24-hour period after the reopening, market observers note that traffic has not fully normalized. Security risks from possible mines and military incidents persist. The strait, which handled about one-fifth of global oil and LNG trade before the war, remains a chokepoint where any disruption could roil energy markets.