Iran Announces Restricted Zone in Strait of Hormuz
Tankers anchored in the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Qeshm Island, Iran, April 18, 2026. 
Tehran warns ships entering designated area will face sanctions amid escalating standoff with US.Iran’s Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei has announced that Tehran will soon establish a restricted zone in the Strait of Hormuz, extending from the US Navy’s blockade line through the strategic waterway and into the Persian Gulf.»Any ship identified entering this zone with the intention of passing through the Strait will be added to our sanctions list,» Rezaei declared.Earlier, the US Central Command said that US forces had attacked three Iranian oil tankers near Kharg Island, in the Jask region, and in the Gulf of Oman. In retaliation, Iranian forces struck three US-affiliated oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, and Reuters later reported that the IRGC had launched ballistic missile attacks on a US aircraft carrier and destroyer.
