‘We will set fire to any ships’: Iran declares total blockade of Strait of Hormuz

Tehran: Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Monday declared the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime artery for global energy, vowing to destroy any vessel attempting to transit the waterway.

The announcement, broadcast on Iranian state television, comes as the region faces an unprecedented escalation following the assassination of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Despite Tehran’s proclamations, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) maintains that the strait remains operational and open to international traffic.

“The price of oil has reached $81, and the world is certainly waiting for it to reach at least $200. The Strait of Hormuz is closed. Our heroes in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy and the Army will set fire to any ships that wish to pass through this strait,” an IRGC spokesperson stated.

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Economic Warfare and Threats

The IRGC’s declaration is aimed at the heart of the global economy, as the narrow channel facilitates the passage of approximately 20% of the world’s daily oil consumption. Iranian commanders warned they would not stop at the waterway. “We’ll also target their oil pipelines in the region, and we will not allow oil exports from this region until we put pressure on the enemy,” the spokesperson said.

Tehran framed the blockade as a direct strike against American economic interests. “The Americans have debts of hundreds of thousands of billions of dollars, and they are thirsty for the region’s oil. They will not get a single drop,” state media reported.

The Military Reality

While Tehran claims the strait is “closed,” military analysts and U.S. officials suggest the IRGC’s ability to enforce a total blockade has been severely degraded by “Operation Epic Fury.” U.S. officials dismissed the Iranian claims as propaganda, asserting that the waterway is "not closed" and that the U.S. Navy continues to ensure the freedom of navigation.

The U.S. military reported on Monday that it has already destroyed 11 Iranian naval vessels in the Gulf of Oman, including a drone carrier, effectively reducing the Iranian surface presence to nearly zero. While the strait remains technically open, maritime traffic has slowed to a virtual halt.

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Market Reaction

The threat of a $200-per-barrel oil price looms over global markets, though crude was trading near $81 on Monday. Analysts from Goldman Sachs warned that even a "de facto" closure, where ships refuse to enter due to the risk of being "set on fire", could trigger a global inflationary shock if the standoff persists beyond the four-week timeline projected by President Donald Trump.