Hormuz shut as US-Iran tensions escalate

The U.S. Central Command said it carried out strikes against Iranian military surveillance systems, communication networks and air defense sites, describing the operation as a response to Tehran's actions in the region.

In retaliation, Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters declared the Strait of Hormuz closed to all shipping.

“Any vessels crossing the strait will be targeted,” the military command said, according to Iranian media.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) also claimed responsibility for attacks on U.S. military facilities in Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan, while Iranian media reported additional strikes against regional targets.

The latest escalation follows the downing of a U.S. Apache helicopter near the strategic waterway earlier this week and represents the most serious challenge yet to a fragile ceasefire reached in April.

Trump warned that Washington was prepared to intensify military operations if Tehran failed to accept U.S. terms for a broader agreement covering the ceasefire, the reopening of Hormuz and Iran's nuclear activities.

According to reports, Trump said the current strikes would end soon, but threatened to resume heavy bombing if Iran's leadership did not immediately agree to a deal.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also linked the military campaign to diplomatic efforts.

“If we need to negotiate with bombs, we'll negotiate with bombs,” Hegseth said.

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of global oil supplies pass, pushed oil prices higher, with Brent crude approaching US$95 per barrel amid growing concerns over energy security and regional stability.

Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that India's Ministry of External Affairs had summoned a U.S. representative following a strike on the tanker Settebello in the Gulf of Oman. According to the ministry, U.S. armed forces were responsible for the attack on the commercial vessel.