The Monday deadline set by US President Donald Trump for a naval blockade of Iranian ports has passed. Trump announced a blockade of the strategic Strait of Hormuz after weekend peace talks with Tehran ended without an agreement.
The US military announced Sunday it will begin blockading all Iranian Gulf ports on Monday at 1400 GMT, but will allow ships not coming or going to Iran to pass through the strait.
An Iranian Armed Forces spokesperson said on Monday that US restrictions on vessels in international waters was illegal and "amounts to piracy," and said Iran would decisively implement a "permanent mechanism" to control the Strait of Hormuz following US threats to blockade it.
He added that Gulf ports must be accessible to all or none, adding that no port in the Gulf or Gulf of Oman would remain secure if Iranian ports were endangered.
Meanwhile, the Israeli military said on Monday its troops had completely surrounded the key Lebanese town of Bint Jbeil, marking a significant advance in Israel's ongoing invasion of southern Lebanon. Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters have been engaged in direct clashes there for days.