Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced late Saturday that it had closed the Strait of Hormuz after its forces fired on and hit a commercial ship in the critical waterway. The IRGC stated that one vessel was struck after its forces fired a warning shot and ordered the ship to change course, vowing that any response from the U.S. or its allies would result in "severe" retaliation.
This development follows threats from the Trump administration, which had stated on Friday that if Iran failed to keep the strait open and cease attacks, "it’s not going to be a great day for them." A senior U.S. official confirmed to Axios that Iranian forces fired on a single merchant ship in the strait, and that the vessel was hit.
The incident occurred as Iranian and Omani representatives were meeting in Muscat to discuss the strait, an international body of water that the U.S. insists must remain open to commercial shipping. Approximately 20% of the world's oil passes through the Strait of Hormuz.
Earlier in the week, the U.S. launched strikes on Iranian targets over two days in response to attacks on ships transiting the strait. US Central Command has been contacted for comment regarding the latest events.