The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps officially declared the Strait of Hormuz “closed” to hostile shipping on Friday. The total blockade strictly prohibits transit for all vessels traveling to and from US-Israeli allied ports. This escalation arrives as the ongoing US-Israel war with Iran severely fractures global supply lines, choking off international oil markets and triggering a deep global energy crisis.
The closure is a direct retaliation. The Israeli military confirmed it carried out a “wide-scale wave of strikes” early Friday morning. The bombs hit ballistic missile production sites, launchers, and military infrastructure located right in the heart of Tehran and across western Iran. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated the military will “intensify” its strikes against Iran to suppress ongoing missile fire. He warned that Tehran will pay a “heavy price.”
The conflict is rapidly pulling in major global players. US President Donald Trump recently extended a 10-day deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Trump temporarily paused strikes on Iranian energy sites to allow negotiations, but threatened severe consequences if Iran fails to comply. Meanwhile, an intelligence source confirmed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is actively urging the United States to ramp up its military campaign against Iran.
Israel’s wide-scale bombings in Tehran directly follow a string of high-profile Israeli assassinations. The military is systematically dismantling Iran’s leadership. This includes the recent strike where Israel killed veteran commander Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri. Tangsiri was a hardliner instrumental in executing the initial Hormuz blockade.
Collateral operations continue to devastate neighboring regions. Lebanese media confirmed Israeli strikes hit Hezbollah strongholds in Beirut’s southern suburbs early Friday. Israel is expanding its ground troop deployment there to establish a “defensive buffer” zone. The humanitarian toll is catastrophic. UNICEF reports the multi-front war has left 121 children dead and displaced more than 370,000 people across Lebanon.