Iranian Navy Broadcasts Strait of Hormuz Closure

Vessels in the Persian Gulf received radio transmissions on Saturday from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy declaring the Strait of Hormuz closed to all shipping, raising fears of disruptions to global energy supplies amid escalating military tensions between Iran, the United States, and Israel.

The transmissions, broadcast via VHF radio, stated that no ships were permitted to pass through the strait, according to officials from the European Union's naval mission Aspides and the UK Maritime Trade Operations agency. An Aspides official, speaking to reporters, confirmed that multiple vessels had picked up the messages but noted that Iranian authorities had not issued any formal confirmation of a closure. The UK agency similarly reported alerts from Gulf-based ships about the purported restrictions, though Iranian officials remained silent on the matter.

The announcements come in the wake of recent US and Israeli airstrikes on Iranian targets, prompting Tehran to declare American and Israeli bases as potential military objectives. Iran has long warned of blocking the strait in response to attacks on its territory, a threat that has periodically surfaced during regional...