Iran Announces Strait of Hormuz Closed, US Military Says Ship Traffic Still Moving

JAKARTA - Iranian authorities announced that the Strait of Hormuz was closed on Sunday, while the United States insisted that the strait remained open, after the confrontation over the vital waterway once again triggered mutual attacks between Tehran and Washington.

The strait, which is vital for global oil and gas supplies, has become a major point of contention between the two enemies, repeatedly sparking skirmishes despite a deal aimed at ending the Middle East war agreed last month.

The latest firefight was triggered by another Iranian attack on a commercial vessel in the waterway whose crew was forced to abandon it after the vessel caught fire.

"Following this incident, the Strait of Hormuz will be closed until further notice and until the end of American intervention in the region," the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Sunday, according to state news agency IRNA, as reported by Al Arabiya and AFP (13/7).

On the other hand, the US Central Command (US CENTCOM) denied in a post on X by saying the strait is "open to all ships that want to legally cross international waterways."

They said US forces were "positioned and ready to ensure" freedom of navigation, adding: "Iran does not control the strait. Traffic flows."

Previously, Iran said it had targeted two vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, accusing them of ignoring instructions to use approved transit corridors or "violating regulations," IRNA said.

The attack triggered a series of US strikes across Iran in response, with the US military saying it had hit around 140 targets in its third round of strikes this week.

Iranian media reported explosions in Bandar Abbas, Sirik, Jask, and Qeshm Island, as well as in Khuzestan Province, with one soldier reported killed in the southern city of Jask.

Iran's response to the US attack came quickly, with sirens and explosions heard in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain.

Separately, Pakistan's Foreign Minister, who has been a key mediator between Iran and the US, Ishaq Dar on Sunday called for de-escalation during a phone call with his Iranian counterpart, Islamabad said.

"Dialogue and diplomacy remain the only viable path to resolve disputes and achieve lasting peace," said Foreign Minister Dar.

Before the war began with the US-Israeli surprise attack on Iran on February 28, there was a free passage through Hormuz.

Now, Tehran is now insisting they will control the strait, while Washington insists they cannot.

Control of the waterway has become a major influence for Iran, with an adviser to the country's supreme leader on Sunday saying the strait was more important than "dozens of atomic bombs."