Iran says it is closing the vital Strait of Hormuz in response to what it described as Israeli ceasefire violations in Lebanon and a failure by the US to implement the first clause of a tentative agreement to end the war.
Meanwhile, officials from Tehran and Washington are headed to negotiations in Switzerland. Vice President JD Vance is traveling to the Swiss talks today to head up the US delegation. Mediators are hoping to keep discussions on track and reach a lasting peace deal within a 60-day timeframe laid out by the initial agreement.
Persistent fighting between Israeli forces and Hezbollah has been threatening the diplomatic process. At least 16 people were killed today in renewed Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon. Israel said it was retaliating for Hezbollah attacks.
US Central Command said Iran doesn’t control the Strait of Hormuz and commercial vessels are continuing to pass, despite Iran claiming it is closing the critical waterway, raising serious questions about the status of an agreement between the two countries.
“Iran does not control the Strait of Hormuz,” Central Command spokesperson Capt. Tim Hawkins said. “Traffic continues to flow, and U.S. forces are monitoring the situation to ensure this remains the case.”
His comments came after the command, in a post on X, touted the passage of commercial vessels through the strait — shortly after Iran said it’s closing it.
“Safe passage through the international waterway remained intact today as 55 merchant ships transited, moving large amounts of cargo and more than 17 million barrels of oil to global markets,” CENTCOM said in the post.
It added: “U.S. forces remain present and vigilant to ensure all aspects of the agreement with Iran are adhered to, obeyed, and in full force and effect.”
About an hour earlier, Iranian state media reported that Iran’s military command said it will close the Strait of Hormuz due to Israel’s alleged violations of the ceasefire in Lebanon and the US “failing to implement” the first clause of the tentative agreement to end the war.
