Iran Closes Strait of Hormuz Again Hours After Reopening
Iran's military closed the Strait of Hormuz again on Saturday, just hours after reopening the critical waterway. More than a dozen commercial ships were passing through when Iran reversed course.
Iran's military declared the Strait of Hormuz closed again on Saturday, reversing an earlier decision to reopen the waterway. The closure happened just hours after Iran had allowed ships to pass through again.
More than a dozen commercial vessels were traveling through the strait when Iran announced the new closure. The waterway is one of the world's most important shipping routes for oil and gas.
The decision came after the US said it would continue its blockade of Iranian ports despite Iran reopening the strait. Iran's military said the US had broken Tehran's trust by maintaining the blockade.
The flip-flopping raises doubts about President Trump's statement Friday that a peace deal to end the US-Israeli war with Iran was "very close." The Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps announced the closure through state media outlets.
The Strait of Hormuz sits between Iran and Oman and connects the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea. About 20% of the world's oil passes through this narrow waterway.
The Strait of Hormuz is a key route for global oil shipments. When it closes, oil prices can spike and affect gas prices worldwide. The back-and-forth shows rising tensions between Iran and the US.
Watch for oil price changes and whether Iran keeps the strait closed. Also monitor any US response to the closure.
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