Tehran closed the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday following an exchange of heavy strikes with the U.S. The closure follows an attack by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) on the Cyprus-flagged container ship M/V GFS Galaxy. The IRGC claimed the vessel used an unauthorized route and vowed to keep the waterway closed until U.S. regional interference ends.
U.S. Central Command launched a third round of military strikes against Iranian targets in response to the closure. This escalation marks the end of a fragile ceasefire following several days of rising tensions.
The Strait of Hormuz serves as a vital chokepoint for global energy shipments. The closure disrupts a significant portion of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports. This disruption poses a severe threat to global energy security and international markets.