US Denies Iran Closed Strait of Hormuz as New Strikes Hit After 2 Days
Updated
Updated · FRANCE 24 English · Jun 11
US Denies Iran Closed Strait of Hormuz as New Strikes Hit After 2 Days
3 articles · Updated · FRANCE 24 English · Jun 11
Summary
US Central Command said commercial ships were still moving through the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday night, directly rejecting Iran's claim that the vital energy chokepoint had been closed.
Another round of US strikes on Iran began the same day after President Donald Trump warned more attacks were coming and said Tehran would “pay the price” for stalled negotiations.
The conflicting accounts cast doubt on whether Iran's threatened shutdown is being enforced, after Tehran had already declared the strait closed and warned vessels against attempting passage.
The widening confrontation is straining efforts to end the war, with Vice President JD Vance publicly criticizing Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli strikes in south Lebanon killing 12 people, according to Lebanon's health ministry.
With its arsenal 90% destroyed, how can Iran still blockade the world’s most vital oil chokepoint?
As the global economy reels from the Hormuz closure, is a wider regional war now simply inevitable?
US strikes decimated Iran's military but created a humanitarian crisis. What does 'winning' this conflict actually look like?
The 2026 Strait of Hormuz Shutdown: US-Iran Confrontation and Its Global Economic and Humanitarian Consequences
Overview
A surge in attacks between Iran and Israel in early June 2026 triggered escalating hostilities across the Middle East, prompting President Trump to issue a warning about the risk of wider conflict. This escalation led directly to a US-Iran confrontation and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global trade route. Iran’s demand for control over the Strait became central, while the US insisted Iran must not develop nuclear weapons. As both sides held firm on their core demands, the crisis quickly evolved into a diplomatic deadlock, with Iran’s leadership consolidating its position and the region facing growing instability.