An official at the European Union’s Aspids naval mission said Saturday that ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz receive radio messages stating that “no ship is allowed to cross the Strait of Hormuz.”The official, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said the warnings were broadcast over very high frequency radio waves and were attributed to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. However, Iran has not officially confirmed issuing any such order.
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The United States also urged commercial ships to avoid the Gulf after the United States and Israel attacked Iran, according to Agence France-Presse.The Strait of Hormuz is considered the most important oil export corridor in the world. It connects the Gulf’s major producers, including Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq and the United Arab Emirates, to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, and serves as a major transit point for global energy supplies.
It is estimated that this route represents about 20% of global energy supply. Tehran has threatened for years to close the narrow waterway in response to attacks on the Islamic Republic. The reported radio broadcasts come amid heightened regional tensions, raising concerns about the security of commercial shipping and global oil flows.This comes on the heels of joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran. In response, Tehran targeted Israel, US facilities in the Middle East and other US allies, including Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Jordan. There was no immediate confirmation from Iranian authorities regarding any closure or enforcement action in the strait.
