Iran Fires on Ships in Strait of Hormuz Ahead of U.S. Naval Blockade

On Monday evening, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) confirmed it fired upon vessels in the Strait of Hormuz that allegedly did not comply with Iranian directives. This incident coincides with reports of explosions in Bandar Abbas and drone interceptions in the area, signaling a sharp escalation in tensions in the Persian Gulf.

The developments come just one day before a full U.S. naval blockade on Iran is set to begin. The U.S.-led Joint Maritime Information Center announced the blockade will start at 8:00 p.m. Washington time (11:00 p.m. Israel time) and will apply to all maritime traffic regardless of the ships' flags. The U.S. military emphasized it will enforce the blockade on all Iranian ports and coastal areas but stated that free and neutral passage through the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian destinations will not be hindered.

In related remarks, U.S. President Donald Trump, in a Fox News interview, asserted, "We are taking control of the strait. They have nothing, they have nothing at all." Additionally, The New York Times reported that Trump officially informed Congress that hostilities have resumed, underscoring the heightened state of conflict between the U.S. and Iran.

These events mark a significant escalation in maritime confrontations in the region, with the U.S. aiming to tighten pressure on Iran through the naval blockade starting Tuesday night Israeli time.