Iran Warns It Will Target Any U.S. Military Vessel Attempting to Transit Strait of Hormuz

Iran has issued a direct warning to all military vessels attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz, stating it will target any such ship seeking to breach Iranian control of the critical waterway.

The warning comes amid an ongoing naval standoff between the United States and Iran, during which both countries have seized commercial ships and maintained competing blockades in the strait. According to reports, Iran continues to demand that vessels obtain its permission before transiting the waterway, while the United States maintains a naval blockade of Iranian ports and vessels.

Tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains severely disrupted due to the blockades, with oil shipments at a near standstill. Brent crude prices have risen above $100 per barrel again as a result of the restricted flow. Only two cargo vessels, but no tankers, have crossed the strait on Thursday, according to ship tracking data, while at least nine tankers have transited the sea lane since Monday.

The situation follows a series of incidents in which Iranian forces attacked at least three commercial ships in the strait on Wednesday, shortly after the United States extended a ceasefire while maintaining its naval blockade. Iranian officials have described the U.S. Blockade as an act of war and a violation of the ceasefire agreement, arguing that peace talks cannot proceed while maritime restrictions remain in place.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has stated that blockading Iranian ports constitutes an act of war, and that the U.S. Seizure of an Iranian ship over the weekend violated the ceasefire. Senior Iranian officials, including President Masoud Pezeshkian and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, have echoed these concerns, saying the ceasefire only holds meaning if it is not undermined by the ongoing naval blockade.

The Strait of Hormuz remains a vital global chokepoint for oil shipments, and any disruption to traffic has immediate implications for international energy markets. Despite the ceasefire, the evolving confrontation between U.S. And Iranian naval forces has shifted the conflict into a struggle for economic leverage, with both sides using control of the strait to pressure the other into favorable negotiations.