Tehran Announces ‘No-Go’ Zone in Strait of Hormuz

Mohsen Rezaei, the new chief of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, announced on Sunday that a prohibited zone will be declared outside the Strait of Hormuz in the coming days. He warned that any vessel entering this zone would be placed on Iran's sanctions list. This move comes as tensions between Tehran and Washington escalate following recent maritime incidents. Meanwhile, reports indicate that US forces conducted a covert four-month operation to clear Iranian mines from the Strait of Hormuz. The Financial Times, citing people familiar with the mission, reported that US Navy SEAL divers and robotic craft were deployed to secure the waterway. In other developments, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Iran that any attack on Israel would be met with a response never before imagined. The IDF also reported strikes on Hamas infrastructure in Gaza and issued evacuation orders in southern Lebanon following drone attacks by Hezbollah.