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Iran Closes Hormuz Strait, 55 Ships Still Pass

6/20/2026

48 11 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

Iran announced on June 20 that it had closed the Strait of Hormuz again, citing Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon that killed 16 civilians.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned ship crews that approaching the strait would endanger their security and could halt regional energy flow.
The U.S. military said 55 commercial vessels still transited the strait on Saturday, showing passage continued despite Iran’s warning.

History

Historical Context

In July 1988, after the U.S. Navy downed Iran Air Flight 655, Iran warned it would close the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint that moves about 21 percent of world oil – roughly 1.5 million barrels daily. The same threat resurfaced in the 2011-12 dispute when Vice President Mohammad-Reza Rahimi pledged closure, prompting multinational naval patrols. Today the IRGC repeats the warning, keeping the strait’s security to global energy.

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Story summary

Iran announced on June 20 that it had closed the Strait of Hormuz again, citing Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon that killed 16 civilians.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned ship crews that approaching the strait would endanger their security and could halt regional energy flow.
The U.S. military said 55 commercial vessels still transited the strait on Saturday, showing passage continued despite Iran’s warning.

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