Iran Closes Strait of Hormuz Citing Ceasefire Violations

Iran's military has announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global shipping lane, citing alleged ceasefire violations by Israel in Lebanon and the United States' failure to implement a preliminary agreement to end the war.

The central military command, Khatam al-Anbiya, stated, "In view of the United States' bad-faith actions and clear breach of commitments by not realizing the first article of the memorandum ending the war, as well as in response to the Zionist regime's continuous violation of the ceasefire in southern Lebanon, we hereby announce that the Strait of Hormuz will be closed to ship traffic."

This strategic waterway is crucial for global energy markets, with approximately 20% of the world's oil supply passing through it before the recent conflict. The situation had begun to stabilize earlier in the week following a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed by the U.S. and Iran aimed at ending hostilities and reopening the strait.

However, the prospects for this agreement have been undermined by Israel's ongoing military campaign in Lebanon. The 14-point memorandum included a key provision for an "immediate and lasting cessation of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon," according to a statement from a high-ranking U.S. administration official.

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In view of the United States' bad-faith actions and clear breach of commitments by not realizing the first article of the memorandum ending the war, as well as in response to the Zionist regime's continuous violation of the ceasefire in southern Lebanon, we hereby announce that the Strait of Hormuz will be closed to ship traffic.