The fragile regional stability brokered only days ago has been shattered as Tehran officially closed the Strait of Hormuz, citing alleged Israeli violations of the April 8 ceasefire.
While international mediators had hoped the truce would de-escalate tensions, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps issued a chilling directive to all maritime traffic in the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea, warning that any unauthorised vessel attempting to transit the waterway would be "targeted and destroyed".
The move comes as Jerusalem continues to distance itself from the agreement, maintaining that its ongoing operations in Lebanon were never subject to the terms of the truce.
The impact on global shipping was immediate.
Ship-broker SSY confirmed that vessels remain stranded, while S&P Global Market Intelligence reported that transit numbers have plummeted from a pre-war average of 100 ships per day to just four on April 8—the lowest volume recorded this April.
Although the IRGC-affiliated Fars news agency noted that two tankers were permitted passage overnight under strict Tehran supervision, the Islamic Republic News Agency clarified that further movements are halted in retaliation for strikes on Lebanon.
Iran had previously signalled an intent to weaponise the channel by proposing a "toll" system and capping daily traffic at a dozen vessels. However, this total blockade represents a significant escalation.
With the world's most vital oil artery effectively severed, energy analysts warn of "unprecedented" volatility in global markets as the ceasefire appears increasingly beyond repair.