Iran closes Strait of Hormuz due to Israeli attacks on Lebanon
Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz again in response to the attacks carried out by the Israeli army in southern Lebanon. The central command of the Iranian army announced this on Saturday in a statement broadcast on state television.
Tehran says that the deadly Israeli attacks violate the framework agreement concluded by Iran and the US earlier this week.
"This first measure is a response to the enemy's violation of the agreements," reports the Khatam al-Anbiya command centre. "If the aggression continues, further measures will be planned and implemented to force the enemy to fulfil its obligations."
The reopening of the economically important Strait of Hormuz was one of the key elements of the Iran-American framework agreement. However, the violence between Israel and the pro-Iranian militia Hezbollah constitutes the Achilles' heel of that deal. Iran accepted an agreement with Washington only on the condition that Israeli attacks against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon be stopped.
Although Israel and Hezbollah had announced a ceasefire on Friday, the Israeli army carried out attacks on southern Lebanon again during the night from Friday to Saturday.
According to the Lebanese Ministry of Defense, at least 32 people were killed in the process. Israel says it was a retaliatory attack because "Hezbollah fired more than fifty projectiles at Israeli troops" in the region.
© PHOTO XINHUA
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