Mohammad-Bagher Zolghadr, a political adviser to Iran's supreme leader, stated the nation's fighters will not reopen the waterway until US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are removed from office. The closure represents the first stage of Tehran's retaliation following 200 days of Iranian resistance. Zolghadr characterized the move as an effort to avenge deaths in the war and as proof that attempts to defeat the country have failed.

U.S. Central Command reports the Strait of Hormuz remains open to commercial traffic, facilitating the movement of more than 900 million barrels of crude oil since early May. Washington has redirected 103 commercial vessels as of Sept. 15 to enforce a maritime blockade of Iranian ports. Captain Tim Hawkins of CENTCOM stated that primary shipping lanes have been cleared of mines and that Iran does not control the waterway.