Iran’s response was swift and multifaceted. Within hours, the IRGC launched waves of ballistic missiles and drones targeting Israel directly, as well as U.S. military bases across the region—including Al Udeid in Qatar, Al Dhafra in the UAE, the Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain, Ali Al Salem in Kuwait, and sites in Jordan, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia. Explosions were reported in multiple Gulf capitals, heightening fears of a broader regional war engulfing U.S. allies.
Most alarmingly, Iran’s IRGC Navy escalated by issuing urgent warnings via VHF Channel 16 to commercial vessels in the Persian Gulf. Multiple ships reported receiving explicit broadcasts declaring: “No ship is allowed to pass the Strait of Hormuz,” with messages labeling passage “not allowed,” “unsafe,” or “banned for all ships of any type.” The EU’s Operation Aspides naval mission and UK’s Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) confirmed these reports, describing them as the IRGC effectively claiming the strait closed. Iranian state-linked media, including Tasnim News Agency, stated the waterway was “practically closed” due to the “insecure atmosphere” from U.S.-Israeli aggression and Iran’s retaliatory actions.
