Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy announced on May 20 that 26 commercial ships passed through the Strait of Hormuz in the past 24 hours with "coordination and security provided" by the force.

"Over the past 24 hours, 26 ships, including oil tankers, container ships, and other commercial vessels, passed through the Strait of Hormuz with the coordination and security of the IRGC Navy," it said on X.

The IRGC did not specify to which countries the ships belonged.

Tehran has been disrupting ship traffic in the Strait of Hormuz and effectively blocking this strategic waterway since February 28, when the United States and Israel first launch strikes on Iran.

With the cease-fire in place and after a round of negotiations between Iranian and American representatives in Pakistan that failed to yield results, US President Donald Trump ordered a naval blockade of Iran, which is still ongoing.

Iranian officials reported that several Chinese ships had passed through the Strait of Hormuz during the US president's visit to China last week. In recent days, it has also been reported that two Qatari tankers carrying liquefied natural gas have also passed through the waterway.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-war-us-hormuz-oil- blockade-gulf-israel/33640284.html?lbis=455747