Tensions Escalate: Iran Closes Strait of Hormuz Over US-Israeli Strikes

Iran has declared the Strait of Hormuz closed, warning of attacks on ships attempting passage. This comes after US and Israeli strikes on Iran, prompting fears over global oil flow disruptions. About 20% of the world's oil passes through this critical route, intensifying tensions in the region.

In a dramatic escalation of regional tensions, a senior official from the Iranian Revolutionary Guards announced Monday that the critical Strait of Hormuz is now closed to maritime traffic. Iran has threatened to attack any vessel attempting to pass through, amid rising hostilities following recent US and Israeli strikes on Iranian soil.

This move comes as the most explicit warning yet from Tehran, threatening to disrupt the transit of nearly a fifth of global oil output. Ebrahim Jabari, a senior adviser to the Guards commander-in-chief, stated that the strait closure was a direct consequence of Western actions aimed at destabilizing Iranian leadership.

The closure impacts the world's most vital oil export corridor, linking major Gulf oil producers. Global markets are now bracing for potential spikes in crude prices and further instability in a region already troubled by ongoing conflicts and strategic tensions.

(With inputs from agencies.)