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<a class="gmail-domain gmail-reader-domain" href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/strait-of-hormuz-closed-over-israeli-aggression-on-lebanon">english.almayadeen.net</a>
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<h1 class="gmail-reader-title">Strait of Hormuz closed over Israeli aggression on Lebanon: Khatam HQ</h1>
<div class="gmail-credits gmail-reader-credits">Al Mayadeen English</div>
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<div class="gmail-reader-estimated-time">June 20, 2026</div>
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<div class="gmail-moz-reader-content gmail-reader-show-element"><div id="gmail-readability-page-1" class="gmail-page"><p>Iran\u2019s
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.</p><div><ul id="gmail-content-slick-0"><div aria-hidden="false"><li>
<a href="https://alpha-en-media.almayadeen.net/media/image/2026/6/20/b6dcce4e-ef14-4e7b-887a-b239b149184f.jpeg?width=1000" tabindex="0"><img src="https://alpha-en-media.almayadeen.net/media/image/2026/6/20/b6dcce4e-ef14-4e7b-887a-b239b149184f.jpeg?width=1000&preset=w700" alt="Iran says Strait of Hormuz closed over Israeli aggression on Lebanon" class="gmail-moz-reader-block-img"></a>
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 (<em>AP</em>)
</li></div></ul>
<p>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\u2019s agreement with
the US.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"In light of the United States\u2019 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.</p>
<h2>More steps to follow</h2>
<p>The statement from Iran\u2019s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters
concluded by emphasizing that the measure was presented as an initial
response to what it described as the enemy\u2019s breach of commitments,
warning that any continued escalation would prompt additional actions
aimed at compelling compliance with its stated obligations.</p>
<p>"It is noted that this first step is a response to the enemy\u2019s breach
of promise, and if the aggression continues, further steps will be
planned and taken to force the enemy to comply with its obligations,\u201d it
asserted.</p>
<h2>37+ martyrs in continued Israeli attacks on southern, eastern Lebanon</h2>
<p>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<span> </span><a href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/israeli-rampage-in-south-lebanon-right-after--ceasefire--tak">alleged ceasefire</a><span> </span>in place since April 17, 2026.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>In western Bekaa,<span> </span><strong>Al Mayadeen's</strong><span> </span>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<span> </span><em>National News Agency</em><span> </span>reports that a child remains under the rubble in Sohmor, with rescue teams working to save him.</p>
<h2>Dozens of towns bombed</h2>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<h2>Drone attacks, artillery shelling</h2>
<p>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.</p>
<p>Israeli artillery also shelled Majdal Zoun, Habboush, Harouf, and Ali
al-Taher, while occupation forces carried out sweeping-fire operations
in Buyout al-Sayyad.</p>
<h2>Friday's escalation</h2>
<p>Saturday's strikes followed a<span> </span><a href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/-israel--expands-aggression-on-lebanon-after-failed-advance">sharp escalation on Friday</a>,
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.</p>
<p>The bombardment continued even as<span> </span><em>Reuters</em><span> </span>reported that a ceasefire agreement between "Israel" and Hezbollah had<span> </span><a href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/hezbollah---israel--agree-to-ceasefire-starting-4-pm--reuter">taken effect at 4 pm</a><span> </span>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<span> </span><strong>Al Mayadeen's</strong><span> </span>correspondent.</p>
<p>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.</p></div></div></div>
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