Iran Declares Strait of Hormuz Closed as US Strikes Enter Second Night
Tehran's military closure of the world's most critical oil chokepoint contradicts Washington's insistence that transit remains possible.
The United States military launched a second consecutive night of strikes against Iran on Wednesday, describing the attacks as acts of self-defence, while Tehran responded by declaring the Strait of Hormuz completely closed to all shipping — a move that would threaten roughly one-fifth of the world's seaborne oil supply.
US forces confirmed the fresh strikes without providing specific targets or details of the ordnance used, framing the action as a defensive response to Iranian provocations. Iran, for its part, reported its own counter-strikes against American military installations in Gulf states, though independent confirmation of damage or casualties at those bases was not immediately available.
The most consequential development of the night was Iran's formal declaration that the Strait of Hormuz — a narrow passage between Iran and Oman through which tankers carry roughly 20 percent of global oil — was closed to all vessels. Iranian military commanders stated that any ship attempting to transit the waterway would be attacked.
The US military flatly disputed Tehran's closure declaration. American officials maintained that passage through the strait remained possible, creating a direct and unresolved contradiction between the two sides over whether one of the world's most economically vital sea lanes is actually accessible.
German public broadcaster ARD emphasised the mutual escalation dynamic, noting both sides presented themselves as responding to the other's aggression. Der Spiegel foregrounded the closure announcement and its immediate threat to shipping, while Die Zeit highlighted the factual contradictions between Iranian and American statements, framing the situation as marked by significant uncertainty and competing claims.
The Strait of Hormuz has long been considered a potential flashpoint in any US-Iran confrontation. Iran has previously threatened to close it during periods of tension but had not followed through with a formal operational closure announcement of this kind. The waterway is the sole maritime outlet for oil exports from Kuwait, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and a large share of Saudi production.
Energy markets and international shipping companies now face a direct challenge: whether to treat the Iranian declaration as operationally real or to accept the American assurance that transit is safe. Any prolonged interruption or credible threat to tanker traffic would send oil prices sharply higher and ripple through global supply chains.
What remains unclear is the scale of damage from either side's strikes, the extent of Iranian military readiness to enforce the closure, and whether diplomatic channels — including through Gulf intermediaries — are active. The pace of overnight escalation, with strikes in two consecutive nights, leaves the immediate trajectory of the conflict deeply uncertain.