In a sharp escalation in West Asia, Iran on Wednesday announced the closure of the strategically crucial Strait of Hormuz, effectively halting tanker traffic through one of the world’s key oil routes.The move came less than 24 hours after US President Donald Trump declared a two-week ceasefire with Tehran. Iran’s state-run Fars News Agency said the decision followed alleged ceasefire violations by Israel, which reportedly carried out around 100 airstrikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, resulting in over 250 deaths.Iran declared that shipping through the Strait of Hormuz would come to a complete halt. Although two vessels were briefly allowed to pass, authorities later enforced a full closure.The White House has urged Iran to reopen the waterway immediately, warning that the move poses a serious threat to global energy supply chains. Israel, however, has argued that Lebanon is not covered under the ceasefire — a position Iran has strongly rejected, insisting that any truce must apply across all fronts, including Hezbollah and other allied groups.Senior Iranian lawmaker Ebrahim Rezaei defended the decision, citing what he called “Zionist aggression” against Lebanon and calling for a unified ceasefire across all regions.Earlier, Trump had stated that reopening the Strait of Hormuz was a key condition of the ceasefire. Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, however, claimed that Washington had acknowledged Tehran’s continued control over the vital passage.The developments have raised serious concerns about disruptions to global oil supplies and highlighted the fragile nature of the ceasefire in an already volatile region.
