Iran announces closure of Strait of Hormuz and threatens to burn passing ships following widespread attacks

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard announced on Monday a formal decision to completely close the strategic Strait of Hormuz to maritime traffic. This announcement comes amidst an unprecedented military escalation in the region, with the Iranian military command vowing to attack any naval vessels attempting to break this blockade or pass through the vital waterway.\n\nThese rapid field developments follow a widespread military aggression launched by Israel in cooperation with the United States against Iranian territory since last Saturday morning. According to informed sources, the airstrikes and military operations have resulted in hundreds of deaths, including the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, Ali Khamenei, and a number of senior security officials in the country.\n\nIn the first official reaction to these attacks, Ibrahim Jabbari, an advisor to the commander of the Revolutionary Guard, confirmed in statements to state television that Iranian forces would not allow any ship to pass through the strait. Jabbari clarified that this measure comes as a legitimate defense and a direct response to the American and Israeli operations that targeted Iranian sovereignty and its top leadership.\n\n The Iranian military official stressed that the threat also includes the region's energy infrastructure, indicating that his country would place oil pipelines within the targeting circle. He added in a harsh tone that Tehran would not allow "a single drop of oil" to leave the region as long as the aggression against its territory continued, threatening global energy supplies.\n\nOn the ground, media reports indicated a massive fire breaking out on a fuel tanker named 'Athena Nova' flying the Honduran flag while it was in the Strait of Hormuz area. Sources stated that the tanker was targeted by two drones, causing severe damage to its structure and igniting its cargo.\n\nA statement issued by the Revolutionary Guard indicated that the targeted vessel was operating in coordination with US forces in the region. Reports claimed that the tanker was supplying fuel to US Navy ships, which made it a legitimate target in light of the declared state of war and escalating tensions in the Gulf waters.\n\nAlthough the Iranian military spokesman did not explicitly announce his country's responsibility for striking the tanker, he reviewed the incident as part of a military report on the Revolutionary Guard's operations in the region. This hint reflects Tehran's insistence on implementing its threats to prevent any maritime activity linked to the United States or its allies in the nearby waterways.\n\nFor its part, Tehran continues to launch barrages of ballistic missiles and drones towards targets inside Israel and what it describes as American bases deployed in neighboring countries. Some of these strikes have resulted in deaths and injuries, as well as material damage to civilian and military facilities, according to news sources.\n\n The closure of the Strait of Hormuz raises major international concerns due to its geopolitical and economic importance, as it connects major oil producers in the Gulf to global markets. Economic experts warn that disrupting navigation in this passage, through which about a fifth of the world's oil supplies pass, will inevitably lead to a crazy surge in global energy prices.\n\nThe Strait of Hormuz has been closed, we will attack and burn every ship attempting to cross, and not a single drop of oil will be allowed to leave the region.