Tehran [Iran], June 20 (ANI): As the Israeli strikes in Lebanon continue despite the ceasefire agreement between Washington and Tehran, Iran on Saturday announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
According to Fars news agency, Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters made the move, citing the lack of implementation of the first clause of the digitally signed Memorandum of Understanding.
Iran criticised Israel’s actions in Lebanon, recognising them as a “relentless and continuous violation of the ceasefire,” Fars reported.
“In view of the flagrant bad faith and breach of covenant by America regarding the failure to implement the first clause of the end-of-war agreement, and in reaction to the relentless and continuous violation of the ceasefire by the Zionist regime in southern Lebanon and the brutal massacre and displacement of hundreds of thousands of the oppressed people of this land, and also in light of the occupying Zionist forces’ refusal to withdraw from the lands of southern Lebanon, it declares that the Strait of Hormuz will be closed to the passage of vessels,” the agency wrote in a post on X.
Calling this the first response, Iran said it will take “subsequent steps” if the MoU’s terms are breached further, Fars reported.
“It is recalled that this step is the first response to the enemy’s breach of promise, and if the aggression continues, subsequent steps will be planned and taken to compel the enemy to fulfill its commitments,” the post read.
This comes after the Israeli Defence Forces on Saturday said that the fresh strikes in Lebanon were made in retaliation for Hezbollah’s “repeated and ongoing violations of the ceasefire,” while maintaining that it remains committed to protecting its civilians and forces.
In a post on X, the Israeli Air Force claimed that Hezbollah launched over 50 strikes on Israeli forces, adding that the forces retaliated by striking dozens of “terrorist infrastructures” and terrorists in overnight strikes.
“In several different incidents throughout the night, the terrorist organization Hezbollah launched more than 50 launches toward IDF forces operating in southern Lebanon. These constitute repeated and ongoing violations of the ceasefire agreement by the terrorist organization Hezbollah. The IDF will not tolerate harm to Israeli civilians or its forces, and will respond forcefully to any use of force against them,” the IAF wrote in the post.
The forces stated that the targeted strikes were carried out on rocket launch positions, weapons storage facilities, and command centres in southern Lebanon.
Expressing adherence to the ceasefire agreement, the IAF stated that it will continue its actions to “remove any threat” from the Israeli civilians and forces.
“In order to remove threats and in response to the blatant violations by the terrorist organization Hezbollah, the Air Force struck dozens of terrorist infrastructures and terrorists from the terrorist organization Hezbollah in southern Lebanon overnight. Among the targets struck were rocket launch positions, weapons storage facilities, and command centers. The IDF is committed to the ceasefire agreement in accordance with the directives of the political echelon, and will continue to act to remove any threat to the State of Israel and IDF forces,” it added.
On the other hand, Hezbollah, in a statement, said it attacked that Israeli forces attempting to advance in southern Lebanon, while stating that it has “adhered to the ceasefire” since Friday afternoon, according to the Times of Israel.
Meanwhile, the death toll in the ongoing Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon’s Nabatieh district has risen to 16, including a Lebanese soldier. (ANI)
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