IRGC Declares Strait of Hormuz Closed Until Further Notice; US Says Cyprus-Flagged Container Ship Struck

The naval force of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced on Saturday, July 11, 2026 that the Strait of Hormuz is closed until further notice, saying it had fired a "warning shot" at a commercial vessel transiting an "unapproved route" and halted it.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) gave a different account, stating that the IRGC attacked the M/V GFS Galaxy, a Cyprus-flagged container ship, in the Strait of Hormuz. According to CENTCOM the attack sparked a fire and damaged the ship's engine room, one civilian crew member is missing, and the vessel can no longer continue its journey.

The development came just after the expiry of a US deadline for Iran to publicly affirm that the Strait of Hormuz is open. Roughly one-fifth of the world's oil passes through the strait each day, and any disruption there directly affects oil and gold prices and Iran's currency market.