Iran Closes Strait of Hormuz as US Maintains Naval Blockade

The Government of Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz until further notice, marking the formal collapse of a June 17 Memorandum of Understanding intended to end a five-month war with the United States. The escalation follows Iranian attacks on three commercial vessels on July 7 for defying routing directives established by the Persian Gulf Strait Authority. In response, the United States launched retaliatory airstrikes and reimposed a naval blockade on Iranian oil exports.

U.S. Central Command continues to enforce this blockade. As of July 25, forces redirected 12 commercial vessels, boarded two for verification—including the M/T Charminar in the Arabian Sea—and disabled two others. This included a precision strike on the engine room of the M/T Lavine in the Gulf of Oman on July 24. Simultaneously, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy intercepted ten vessels over two days in the Strait of Hormuz, using warning shots to force ships off unauthorized routes.

While maintaining the blockade, Donald Trump paused direct strikes on Iranian sites between July 24 and 25 for the first time in two weeks. Reports indicate the pause aims to prevent the depletion of antimissile interceptor stockpiles and avoid exacerbating global energy shortages. Despite the military tension, Iran and Oman conducted technical talks in Tehran on July 25 and 26 to discuss safe maritime navigation, though Iranian officials noted no immediate change to traffic status.