TEHRAN — Iran announced on Saturday that it had closed the Strait of Hormuz, citing Israeli strikes in Lebanon and alleged violations of a recent U.S.-Iran ceasefire agreement, Iranian state media and military officials said.
The announcement came hours after U.S. Central Command reported that 55 merchant ships carrying more than 17 million barrels of oil had transited the strait on Saturday, one of the highest daily figures since traffic resumed under a fragile interim deal.
Iran's joint military command, via state television, declared the waterway closed to maritime traffic in response to what it called "continuous and ongoing violations of the ceasefire by the Zionist regime in southern Lebanon" and U.S. "bad faith." A statement attributed to the command said the move was "the first step as a response to the enemy's breach of promise," with further steps planned if aggression continued.
The development follows the signing on June 18 of a memorandum of understanding between U.S. President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, brokered with Pakistani assistance. The agreement included a 60-day ceasefire, commitments to reopen the strait, eased sanctions and steps toward nuclear talks.
Tensions escalated after Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon on Saturday, which Iran said killed at least 83 people. Those strikes followed Hezbollah rocket attacks that killed four Israeli soldiers, according to reports.
The Strait of Hormuz, which links the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea, is a critical chokepoint for global energy supplies, historically handling about one-fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas shipments before disruptions earlier in 2026.
U.S. officials denied Iran's claim of a successful closure. U.S. Central Command and Vice President JD Vance stated that shipping continued to flow, describing Iran's announcement as posturing. Vance was traveling to Switzerland for technical-level talks with Iranian negotiators aimed at advancing the interim agreement.
Iran had previously declared the strait closed in March 2026 amid broader conflict, leading to sharp reductions in traffic and attacks on vessels. Traffic had begun to recover modestly in recent days following the latest ceasefire framework.
Details on the immediate impact of Saturday's announcement remained unclear, with conflicting reports on whether vessels were being turned away. No independent verification of physical blockades or new attacks on shipping was immediately available.
As of late Saturday, U.S. and Iranian sides were proceeding with planned discussions in Switzerland despite the renewed tensions over Lebanon and the strait.
