[News] Strait of Hormuz closed over Israeli aggression on Lebanon

[Anti-Imperialist News]

english.almayadeen.net
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/strait-of-hormuz-closed-over-israeli-aggression-on-lebanon>
Strait of Hormuz closed over Israeli aggression on Lebanon: Khatam HQ
Al Mayadeen English
June 20, 2026
------------------------------

Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya HQ says it is closing the Strait of Hormuz, citing
US and Israeli ceasefire violations and stressing that this is merely the
first step in its response.

   - [image: Iran says Strait of Hormuz closed over Israeli aggression on
   Lebanon]
   <https://alpha-en-media.almayadeen.net/media/image/2026/6/20/b6dcce4e-ef14-4e7b-887a-b239b149184f.jpeg?width=1000>
   A container ship sits at anchor as a small motorboat passes in the
   foreground in the Strait of Hormus off Bandar Abbas, Iran, May 2, 2026 (
   *AP*)

The Strait of Hormuz is shut down in response to ongoing Israeli aggression
on southern Lebanon, Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters announced,
deeming Israeli actions a violation of Iran’s agreement with the US.

In a statement carried by Iranian state television, the Khatam HQ accused
the United States of breaching its obligations under a memorandum of
understanding related to ending the war, and also cited continued Israeli
military actions in southern Lebanon, including ceasefire violations,
killings, forced displacement of civilians, and failure to withdraw from
Lebanese territory. It added that the measure reflects a response to the
deterioration of compliance by the opposing parties and the persistence of
hostilities on the ground.

"In light of the United States’ blatant violation of its commitments and
breach of the provisions of Article One of the memorandum of understanding
to end the war and in response to the ongoing and continuous violation of
the ceasefire by the Israeli entity in southern Lebanon, the continued
brutal killing and forcible displacement of the Lebanese people, and its
failure to withdraw from southern Lebanon, it is hereby announced that the
Strait of Hormuz will be closed to maritime navigation," the statement read.
More steps to follow

The statement from Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters concluded
by emphasizing that the measure was presented as an initial response to
what it described as the enemy’s breach of commitments, warning that any
continued escalation would prompt additional actions aimed at compelling
compliance with its stated obligations.

"It is noted that this first step is a response to the enemy’s breach of
promise, and if the aggression continues, further steps will be planned and
taken to force the enemy to comply with its obligations,” it asserted.
37+ martyrs in continued Israeli attacks on southern, eastern Lebanon

Israeli occupation forces (IOF) carried out a fresh wave of attacks across
southern Lebanon and western Bekaa on Saturday morning, killing at least 37
people and extending a pattern of aggression that has persisted
despite an alleged
ceasefire
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/israeli-rampage-in-south-lebanon-right-after--ceasefire--tak>
 in place since April 17, 2026.

In the Nabatieh area alone, at least 25 people were martyred and another 35
were injured in an initial toll, as reported by the Civil Defense
Operations Room of the Islamic Health Authority's Jabal Amel II region.
Rescue and ambulance teams are still clearing rubble and searching for
missing people. Among those martyred in the Nabatieh area is a Lebanese
Army soldier killed in an Israeli drone strike in Kfar Rumman.

Meanwhile, an Israeli attack on a residential building in the town of
Qennarit in the Saida district killed 7 and injured 13 others, among them 5
children and 5 women, as per the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health.

In western Bekaa, *Al Mayadeen's* correspondent reported that four people
were killed in an Israeli attack on a house in the town of Sohmor, in
addition to a person killed earlier in a separate drone attack that
targeted a motorcycle in the same town, bringing the death toll in Sohmor
to five. Lebanon's *National News Agency* reports that a child remains
under the rubble in Sohmor, with rescue teams working to save him.
Dozens of towns bombed

Local media reports that the IOF carried out at least 80 attacks on
southern Lebanon and the western Bekaa since early morning on Saturday,
comprising 65 airstrikes and 15 drone strikes, in addition to artillery
shelling and sweeping fire.

The hardest hit areas are al-Nabatieh al-Fawqa (8 times) and al-Rihan
heights (6 times).  Kfar Tebnit and its surroundings, Jabal al-Rafi',
Shoukin, and Nabatieh city were each bombed four times, while Kfaroumman,
Aramta, the al-Aroush quarry, Harouf, and Habboush were each bombed three
times.

Sojod, the area between Toul and Kfour, Kfar Joz, Zebdine and its
surroundings, and Shhour were each attacked twice, while Nmairiyeh,
Arabsalim, al-Mahmoudiyeh, Borj Qalaway, Qabrikha, Barish, al-Qatrani, and
Qennarit were each bombed once.
Drone attacks, artillery shelling

Israeli drones, meanwhile, attacked Nabatieh city four times and Arabsalim
twice, with single drone attacks hitting Deir al-Zahrani, Doueir, Deir
Qanoun Ras al-Ain, Kawthariyet al-Riz, Sohmor, Harouf, Jibchit, and
al-Nafakhiyeh.

Israeli artillery also shelled Majdal Zoun, Habboush, Harouf, and Ali
al-Taher, while occupation forces carried out sweeping-fire operations in
Buyout al-Sayyad.
Friday's escalation

Saturday's strikes followed a sharp escalation on Friday
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/-israel--expands-aggression-on-lebanon-after-failed-advance>,
when the IOF expanded its attacks to include several southern villages, the
outskirts and northern entrance of Baalbek, and the Litani Riverbed near
the town of Zellaya in the western Bekaa, attacks that resulted in
massacres of civilians.

The bombardment continued even as *Reuters* reported that a ceasefire
agreement between "Israel" and Hezbollah had taken effect at 4 pm
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/hezbollah---israel--agree-to-ceasefire-starting-4-pm--reuter>
 that day. Within moments of the so-called ceasefire taking hold, Israeli
occupation warplanes launched more than 16 attacks on areas across the
South, according to *Al Mayadeen's* correspondent.

The Lebanese Ministry of Public Health confirmed that the intensified
aggression carried out from midnight through Friday afternoon martyred 47
people and injured 97 others, an updated toll showed. The Ministry put the
cumulative toll of Israeli attacks between March 2 and June 19 at 3,980
martyred and 12,001 injured.
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