Iran says it will target any vessel traffic in Strait of Hormuz after U.S. strikes

📌 Summary:

• Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya military command declared on June 11, 2026 that any vessel transiting the Strait of Hormuz will be targeted, and that the strait is "completely closed to all types of vessel"
• The announcement followed fresh U.S. airstrikes on Iran; Iran said it had already struck two ships attempting to pass through the waterway
• U.S. Central Command said it was striking "multiple targets in Iran" in response to "Iran's unwarranted and continued aggression"
• The Strait of Hormuz is the world's most critical oil chokepoint, carrying roughly a fifth of global oil supply; its closure threatens a sharp spike in crude and shipping/insurance costs

🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS3 (Maritime/internal security implications of chokepoint closure for India's energy security) and GS2 (West Asia conflict, India's strategic autonomy). India imports the bulk of its crude through this route, making the closure a direct economic-security concern.

📝 Prelims Facts:

• Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea; on the north lies Iran, on the south the UAE and Oman's exclave Musandam
• It is the only sea passage from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean — a key route for Gulf oil exporters (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Iraq, Qatar)
• Khatam al-Anbiya is the central command of Iran's armed forces

🔑 Key Term: Chokepoint — a narrow, strategically vital maritime passage whose blockage can disrupt global trade and energy flows.