Iran issues ominous warning to US, Israel, Western ships: 'Stay out of Strait of Hormuz or...’

The disruption has already pushed oil prices up by about 14% since the weekend and sent natural gas prices to their highest levels since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

• IRGC closes Strait of Hormuz to US, Israel, and allies' ships
• Strait shipping traffic down over 95%
• Oil prices surge 14 percent amid rising tensions in the region

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Amid the escalating conflict in West Asia, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has said the Strait of Hormuz is effectively closed to vessels linked to the United States, Israel, Europe and their allies, warning that such ships could be targeted.

In a statement carried by state broadcaster Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) on Thursday, the IRGC said restrictions apply to ships belonging to those countries and their supporters. “We had previously said that, based on international laws and resolutions, in times of war, the Islamic Republic of Iran will have the right to control the passage through the Strait of Hormuz,” said the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, according to state broadcaster IRIB.

The IRGC warned that if vessels belonging to the US, Israel, Europe “and their supporters … are observed, they will certainly be hit.”

Earlier, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards also said they had control over the key waterway.

“Currently, the Strait of Hormuz is under the complete control of the Islamic Republic's Navy,” said Guards Navy official Mohammad Akbarzadeh in a statement issued on Fars news agency.

The development comes after the United States and Israel launched a joint operation against Iran on Saturday, pushing tensions sharply higher and sending oil prices surging.

Shipping through the vital route has nearly come to a halt. Ship-tracking data shows traffic through the strait has dropped by more than 95%, with only two bulk carriers and a small container ship seen passing through on Tuesday, all of them leaving the Persian Gulf rather than entering.

Monitoring maritime traffic has also become increasingly difficult due to signal jamming and vessels switching off their position-reporting transponders, creating what analysts describe as a “digital fog” over the waterway.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most critical energy routes. Almost all oil, gas and other commodities exported by Persian Gulf countries pass through it, making it a key chokepoint for roughly a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies.

The disruption has already pushed oil prices up by about 14% since the weekend and sent natural gas prices to their highest levels since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump said Tuesday that the United States Navy was ready to escort oil tankers through the crucial Gulf shipping route.