Iran is again blocking ships from passing through the Strait of Hormuz just hours after agreeing to reopen the waterway, blaming the reversal on Israel striking Lebanon — despite President Trump making clear Beirut was never part of the cease-fire agreement.
“Due to Israeli strikes in #Lebanon, oil tankers will not be permitted to pass through the Strait of #Hormuz,” the Iranian embassy in Mumbai posted to X on Wednesday, citing Iran’s Fars News Agency.
But Trump on Wednesday told PBS News Hour that “everyone knows” Israel’s fight with Hezbollah in Lebanon is a “separate skirmish” not included in the cease-fire deal with Iran.
“They were not included in the deal,” the president said. That’ll get taken care of too. It’s all right.”
Hezbollah is an Iranian proxy group — one of several the US is demanding that Iran stop offering support.
Iran’s finger-pointing came as Tehran attempts to extract payment from ships that want to pass through the strait without coming under Iranian attack, despite promising to reopen the strait for two weeks. Tolls were reportedly as high as $2 million per ship.
Iran’s claims that it has closed the Strait of Hormuz in response to Israel’s bombing of Lebanon is “completely unacceptable,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Wednesday.
“Again, this is a case of what they’re saying publicly is different privately,” she said. “We have seen an uptick of traffic in the Strait today, and I will reiterate the president’s expectation and demand that the Strait is reopened immediately, quickly and safely.”
Earlier on Wednesday, Iran threatened to “destroy” any ships that attempt to cross the strait without Tehran’s go-ahead as it attempts to set up a toll system to charge vessels to safely sail through the strait.
“You must receive permission from Iranian Sepah navy for passing through the strait. If any vessel tries to transit without permission, will be destroyed,” an Iranian official was heard saying in audio shared with the Wall Street Journal by a crew member.
Israel hit several densely populated commercial and residential areas in central Beirut on Wednesday — hours after Trump announced a cease-fire with Iran that would reopen the strait. At least 89 people were killed and 700 were wounded, according to Lebanon’s health ministry.
Israel insisted Wednesday the US-Iran cease-fire doesn’t apply to Lebanon — as the Israeli military vowed to continue its “targeted ground operations” against Hezbollah.
