Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced that two oil tankers exploded and caught fire after entering a mined maritime route south of the Strait of Hormuz, warning that the strategic waterway is now fully closed until the United States halts its military attacks against the Islamic Republic.

The IRGC said the vessels attempted to pass through the restricted corridor after allegedly being misled by US intelligence agencies. According to the statement, both tankers detonated after entering the prohibited route, suffering extensive fires.

The IRGC Navy stressed that the Strait of Hormuz has been rendered "completely closed" in response to ongoing US military aggression against Iran, declaring that "not even a single drop of oil, gas, or chemical fertilizers" would be permitted to leave the Persian Gulf until Washington ceases its attacks.

Iranian military officials also warned all commercial shipping against attempting to enter the designated route, emphasizing that any vessel ignoring official warnings would place both lives and property at serious risk.

The announcement marks one of Tehran's strongest responses since the United States expanded its military campaign against Iranian civilian infrastructure, a move Iranian authorities describe as a blatant violation of international law and the UN Charter.

The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world's most strategically important maritime corridors, through which a substantial share of global energy exports normally passes.

The IRGC statement came as Iranian armed forces launched a new wave of retaliatory strikes targeting US military installations across West Asia.

According to Iran's Tasnim News Agency, Iranian missiles struck the US-operated Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan during the early hours of Saturday, hitting the facility between approximately 2:00 and 3:00 a.m. local time.

The operation was reported to be separate from earlier Iranian strikes against US-linked military sites in Jordan.

Muwaffaq Salti Air Base serves as one of Washington's principal operational hubs in the region and has long supported US military activities throughout West Asia.

Iranian officials have repeatedly stated that all military facilities assisting American operations against Iran constitute legitimate targets under Tehran's right to self-defense.

As Iran's retaliatory operations continued, Saudi Arabia activated early warning systems and air raid sirens after detecting missile launches originating from Iran.

Saudi civil defense authorities announced emergency alerts in al-Kharj, while warning sirens were also activated in Yanbu.

Al-Kharj hosts the strategically significant Prince Sultan Air Base, a major US military installation south of Riyadh that accommodates American personnel and advanced missile defense systems, including Patriot and THAAD batteries.

The alerts underscored growing concern among US regional allies as Iran expands its military response to Washington's attacks.

Meanwhile, local Iranian authorities reported that US forces carried out fresh attacks against civilian infrastructure in the southern province of Hormozgan.

Officials said the Shahid Mirzaei Tunnel, the Shour Bridge, and a key bridge linking the cities of Minab and Rudan were struck, disrupting transportation routes used by civilians.

Residents were urged to avoid the affected areas while emergency authorities established alternative travel routes.

In a separate incident, officials in Yazd Province reported that five projectiles landed on the outskirts of the city before dawn, prompting emergency response teams to assess damage.

Iranian authorities condemned the attacks as deliberate strikes against civilian infrastructure, noting that transportation networks protected under international humanitarian law had been targeted.

Under the Geneva Conventions, deliberate attacks on civilian infrastructure lacking direct military necessity may constitute war crimes.

Tehran has accused Washington of deliberately expanding its campaign beyond military objectives by targeting facilities essential to civilian life, while maintaining that Iran's military operations remain focused on US-linked military assets involved in the aggression.

Iranian officials have reiterated that the country's retaliatory measures will continue until what they describe as unlawful US attacks against the Islamic Republic come to an end, insisting that Iran will exercise its legitimate right to defend its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national security. (ILKHA)