Iran Shuts Strait of Hormuz, Threatens Global Oil Supply as Trump Issues 60-Day Ultimatum
Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most critical oil passage, blocking roughly 20% of global oil shipments just as a fragile U.S.-Iran ceasefire deal begins to unravel amid continued Israeli-Hezbollah fighting in Lebanon. President Donald Trump has responded by threatening new tolls on the strait if a deal is not reached within 60 days.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard confirmed the shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, citing “security concerns” after cross-border strikes between Israel and Hezbollah [177935]. The closure threatens to spike energy prices worldwide and deals a major blow to Trump’s efforts to end the war with Tehran [177935].
The U.S. disputes Iran’s assertion of a closure, and no independent confirmation has been provided [178034]. Trump has responded by threatening to impose new tolls on the strait if a deal is not reached within 60 days [178034].
The escalation comes as a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, part of a preliminary U.S.-Iran peace agreement, appears to be collapsing. Israeli airstrikes killed at least 16 people in southern Lebanon on Saturday, just one day after the ceasefire took effect [177558]. Both sides accused each other of breaking the truce [177558].
The Israeli military claimed Hezbollah violated the agreement, while Hezbollah said it had the right to respond to Israeli attacks [177558]. The violence came as U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi traveled to Switzerland for talks [177558].
Fresh Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon killed at least eight people, including a Lebanese soldier and two children [177601]. The attacks came despite the reported ceasefire, which aimed to halt months of cross-border fire [177601]. International mediators have called for restraint from both sides [177601].
The fighting has already delayed planned U.S.-Iran talks in Switzerland. Iranian officials did not travel to Switzerland as planned, saying fighting in Lebanon must stop before talks can start [177624]. U.S. Vice President JD Vance also postponed his trip [177624].
The interim U.S.-Iran agreement, signed this week, had already reopened the Strait of Hormuz after Iran previously closed it [177624]. The deal also aims to restart talks on Iran’s nuclear program [177624]. Neither Israel nor Hezbollah signed the deal [177624].