Strait of Hormuz fully closed, forcing oil tankers to turn back -- media

TEHRAN -- Iran's state-run Press TV reported on Wednesday that the Strait of Hormuz has been fully closed, forcing oil tankers to turn back.

It citied maritime tracking data as showing that an oil tanker named "AUROURA," which was heading toward the waterway's exit, had suddenly changed course near the Musandam coast and made a 180-degree turn, returning deeper into the Gulf.

The report added the maneuver occurred at one of the "most sensitive" sections of the international shipping route, between Larak Island and the Musandam Peninsula, "an area considered highly strategic due to the heavy traffic of energy shipments and its geopolitical importance."

This comes as Iran's semi-official Fars news agency said earlier in the day that the oil tankers' movements across the Strait of Hormuz had stopped concurrent with Israel's fresh deadly attacks on Lebanon.

According to Fars, after the ceasefire was achieved, Tehran allowed two oil tankers to safely cross the Strait of Hormuz.

On Tuesday, Trump said he had agreed to "suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks," adding that the decision was "subject to" Iran agreeing to the complete, immediate and safe reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said Iran would ensure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz during the two-week ceasefire in coordination with its armed forces, adding that Tehran would halt "defensive operations" if attacks against it stop.