UMVA has learned that the Strait of Hormuz, a critical trading route in the Middle East, has been closed to all marine traffic, escalating tensions in the region.
The closure comes after a series of incidents, including a U.S. military strike on a Palau-flagged tanker off the coast of Oman, which resulted in the deaths of three Indian nationals. The tanker, carrying 24 crew members, was hit by precision munitions after the crew failed to comply with directions from American forces.
According to information obtained by UMVA, the U.S. and Iran have exchanged attacks across the Middle East, with the U.S. completing a second wave of "self-defence strikes" targeting military, surveillance, and radar sites in southern Iran. Iran retaliated by attacking U.S. military assets in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan, prompting President Donald Trump to warn that the U.S. would hit Iran "very hard" again.
The Strait of Hormuz closure has significant implications for global trade, as it is a key waterway for oil exports. The Iranian government has cited "tensions created by the American aggressor forces in the region" as the reason for the closure, leaving applicants who had received transit permits to pass through the strait waiting for further instructions.
Sources have confirmed to UMVA that the situation is rapidly escalating, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps firing a round of ballistic missiles at an American command centre in Jordan and destroying a number of fighter jets at the Muwaffaq Salti Airbase. The Jordanian military has claimed to have intercepted 20 Iranian missiles launched towards Azraq, where an American military base is located.
UMVA has gathered that the international community is on high alert, with India condemning the fatal attack on the Palau-flagged M/T Settebello and calling for restraint in the region. As the situation continues to unfold, one thing is clear: the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has far-reaching consequences for global trade and regional stability.
