Iran claims to close Strait of Hormuz and turn Middle East into an inferno

The IRGC claimed that the strait is closed to oil tankers, merchant ships, and other vessels.

"Any vessel that attempts to pass through the strait will become a target," the statement read.

IRGC Aerospace Force Commander Sayyed Hossein Mousavi Eftekhari claimed that Iran could turn the Middle East "into hell" if the Strait of Hormuz becomes unsafe, CNN reported.

In turn, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) refuted Iran's claim, stating that merchant vessels are continuing to transit the strait.

Iranian state media reported strikes on two vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and "clashes" between IRGC Navy units and American forces. CENTCOM reported that no U.S. warship had been hit.

Resumed strikes on Iran on June 11

Sharp escalation between the U.S. and Iran took place in recent days. U.S. forces struck Iranian military targets following the downing of an Apache helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz. In response, Tehran claimed to have launched missile and drone attacks on American targets in the region, including facilities around the Persian Gulf.

Overnight on June 11, CENTCOM forces announced the start of a new wave of strikes on Iranian territory, ordered by President Donald Trump.

The U.S. military is known to have attacked a number of targets linked to air defense, communications, and military surveillance systems. Iran, for its part, claimed to have launched missile attacks on a U.S. air base in Jordan, as well as U.S. bases in Bahrain and Kuwait.