Iran Recloses Strait of Hormuz, Citing Ceasefire Violations by US and Israel
Iran's top joint military command announced on Saturday (June 20, 2026) that the Strait of Hormuz would be closed to vessel traffic, citing alleged violations of a ceasefire agreement by the United States and Israel, according to Iran's Mehr state news agency.
The Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters stated in a release: "It is hereby announced that the Strait of Hormuz will be closed to vessel traffic." It attributed the decision to a U.S. "breach of contract" and what it described as "the Zionist regime's continuous and relentless violation of the ceasefire in southern Lebanon."
The command described the closure as the "first step" in response to alleged breaches of commitments and warned that further measures would be taken if "aggression" continued.
The strait, a critical waterway for global oil and gas shipments, had been blockaded by Iran for much of the recent conflict, causing significant disruptions in energy markets. Iran had agreed to reopen the strait under a preliminary agreement with the United States, and shipping traffic had begun to resume in recent days.
Follow-up talks on the U.S.-Iran deal were planned in Switzerland on Friday (June 19), but were indefinitely postponed after Israel launched a wave of deadly strikes in Lebanon, following the deaths of four Israeli soldiers in combat.
On Friday afternoon (June 19), a U.S. official announced a new ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, brokered by U.S. and Qatari mediators. Israel's ambassador to Washington stated that Israel would respect the truce if Hezbollah did.
However, on Saturday (June 20), an Israeli military official said the Israeli military was conducting fresh attacks against the Iran-backed Hezbollah, accusing it of having "launched more than 50 projectiles at Israeli forces in southern Lebanon" overnight.
Hezbollah, in turn, accused Israel of carrying out "under the cover of the ceasefire... an infiltration attempt towards the Ali Taher hills," a strategic height overlooking the city of Nabatieh. Hezbollah added that its fighters "confronted them with appropriate weapons."
The situation remains fluid, with both sides trading accusations of ceasefire violations. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz threatens to reignite volatility in global energy markets.
