Iran Closes Strait of Hormuz Amid Ceasefire Tensions
Shortly after a ceasefire agreement facilitated by Pakistan, Iran reportedly violated the pact and reclosed the Strait of Hormuz to commercial vessels. The closure was ostensibly linked to Israel’s refusal to halt operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon.
According to Iran’s state-run Fars News Agency, which is connected to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), on Wednesday morning, two oil tankers were permitted to move through the strait “with Iranian permission.” However, the strait was reopened and then closed again in response to what Iran termed “Israeli aggression in Lebanon.”
CBS News reported that Iran’s naval forces have been warning ships in the Persian Gulf that they must secure “permission” from Iran to navigate through the Strait of Hormuz.
Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz, stated that Lebanon was never included in the ceasefire agreement. President Donald Trump also affirmed this, indicating on Wednesday that Lebanon was “not included in the agreement” because of “separate skirmishes” between Israel and Hezbollah.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, whose government facilitated the ceasefire talks, countered that the agreement indeed covered Lebanon and called for an immediate cessation of hostilities.
Meanwhile, Israel unleashed a significant offensive against Hezbollah overnight, causing considerable damage. Katz remarked that this represented the “heaviest concentrated blow to Hezbollah since Operation Beeper,” which occurred in 2024 and led to significant casualties among Hezbollah operatives.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the Israeli strikes, labeling them as a “new massacre” that adds to Israel’s historical aggression. He emphasized the need for the international community to act against these attacks to ensure regional security and stability.
Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported on Wednesday a statement from a “senior security official” from the Revolutionary Guards, indicating that Iran might completely withdraw from the ceasefire agreement if Israeli actions in Lebanon persist.
The official claimed, “Israel has launched a brutal attack on Lebanon since this morning, in flagrant violation of the agreement.”
