The Iranian military announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and threatened to burn any ships passing through, in retaliation for attacks launched by the United States and Israel that killed the Supreme Leader and dozens of other senior leaders.
On 2 March 2026, the Times of Israel reported that the commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) declared the "closure of the Strait of Hormuz," one of the world's most important maritime routes for goods and crude oil.
The IRGC threatened that they would burn any ship attempting to pass through the strait. "The strait is closed, and anyone wishing to pass will have our heroes in the IRGC naval forces and military set those ships on fire. Do not come to this region," said IRGC spokesperson Major General Ibrahim Jabbari.
Major General Jabbari added that the Americans are "thirsty for oil in this region," and Iran will "attack their oil pipelines in the area and will not allow any oil exports from this region."
This latest move by Iran follows the killing of their Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a joint attack by the US and Israel, prompting Iran to vow revenge.
Iran has long threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz if attacked by the US, but has never actually done so. However, if Iran follows through on this latest declaration, closing the strait would affect the transport of up to 20% of the world's oil and cause crude oil prices to surge rapidly.
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Source:Times of Israel