Background and context
The Strait of Hormuz has been largely closed to commercial shipping since 28 February 2026, when Iran moved against vessels transiting the waterway in response to US and Israeli air strikes on Iranian targets. The Strait carries approximately a fifth of global oil and LNG supplies, and its disruption has had a significant impact on energy and commodity markets. Since the closure, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has issued warnings forbidding passage.
The IRGC was itself designated a terrorist organisation by the EU on 19 February 2026, bringing it within the scope of the EU's counterterrorism sanctions regime.
Full advisory at the following link.