Iran Closes Hormuz as Lebanon Death Toll Rises

The Iranian central military command announced on Saturday that it was closing the strategic Strait of Hormuz in response to Israel's deadly attacks in Lebanon, while the death toll from Israeli strikes across the country climbed to at least 32 amid renewed hostilities.

In a statement carried by Iranian state television, the Khatam-al Anbiya Central Headquarters said the closure of the Strait of Hormuz was a response to what it described as Israel's violation of commitments under Iran's agreement with the United States.

"It is hereby announced that the Strait of Hormuz will be closed to vessel traffic," the statement said, warning that further measures could follow if the attacks continued.

The latest development came as Israel continued airstrikes across Lebanon despite international efforts to secure a ceasefire.

According to Lebanon's National News Agency, an Israeli strike hit a house in Sohmor in the western Bekaa Valley, killing four members of a family and injuring another person. Rescue teams were continuing efforts to rescue a child trapped beneath the rubble.

Lebanon's Health Emergency Operations Centre said another Israeli strike on Qanarit, in the Sidon district, killed at least seven people and wounded 13 others in a preliminary toll.

The overall death toll from Israeli attacks across Lebanon since dawn has risen to at least 32, according to Lebanese authorities.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military said Hezbollah had fired more than 50 projectiles overnight toward Israeli forces operating in southern Lebanon.

The military also said its forces had struck dozens of Hezbollah targets, including rocket-launch positions, weapons storage sites and command centres in southern Lebanon, reports UNB.

The renewed violence has heightened fears of a broader regional escalation and raised fresh concerns over the implementation of the recently signed US-Iran agreement aimed at ending hostilities across the region.

Source: Al Jazeera