Iran Partially Shuts Down Hormuz

TEHRAN, TUESDAY—Iran's Revolutionary Guards have partially closed the Strait of Hormuz. The closure occurred while Iranian and US delegations were in talks.

The FARS news agency reported that the closure on Tuesday (17/2/2026) lasted for several hours. The closure was part of safety measures for navigation in the important strait.

It was announced on Monday that Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) conducted a war drill in the strait. The IRGC called the exercise "Smart Control."

The strait serves as a shipping route for up to 25 percent of global energy commodities. It is the only entry and exit point for the Persian Gulf, where the main ports for the shipment of oil and gas from Middle Eastern countries are located.

In the exercise, the IRGC showcased a number of unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles. The IRGC claims that the aircraft and missiles can target objectives in the air and at sea.

The exercises were centered around the Abu Musa Center, Great Tnub Island, Small Tnub Island, and Sirri Island. The IRGC employed a scenario of defending the area and repelling enemy attacks during the exercises. Iranian marines were stationed on these islands.

During the exercise, the IRGC fired land-based missiles at targets at sea. Iran employed an electronic jamming scenario when launching the missiles.

That scenario is important because in modern warfare, signal jamming has become a part of both defense and offense. When attacking Venezuela on January 3, 2026, the United States first launched an electronic assault.

The attack disabled communications signals, disrupted radar functions, and disrupted power supplies. As a result, Venezuelan forces were unable to coordinate their defenses.

In several other theaters, signal jamming has become a standard operating procedure. Unmanned aircraft, conventional aircraft, and missiles rely on electronic signals to operate.

The IRGC, according to reports from Tasnim and FARS, did not elaborate on the electronic warfare scenarios during the exercise. The IRGC only explained that the training was in accordance with the needs for preparation to face developments on the ground.

Approximately 700 kilometers from the coast of Iran, there is the US aircraft carrier, USS Abraham Lincoln. On the deck of the ship, there are, among others, the EA-18 Growler and E-2D Hawkeye aircraft. In addition to serving as reconnaissance devices, both aircraft also serve as the main platforms for electronic warfare.

The United States is currently dispatching a second aircraft carrier to approach Iran, the USS Gerald Ford. The largest aircraft carrier on Earth has been moving from the Caribbean to the Arabian Sea since last weekend. With a maximum speed of 56 kilometers per hour, it is estimated to arrive near the USS Abraham Lincoln by the end of February 2026 at the earliest.

On the second deck of the two ships, there are nearly 150 aircraft and several helicopters. A number of destroyers equipped with missile launchers are also part of the naval combat group of the two aircraft carriers.

When both aircraft carriers arrive, there will be a total of up to 600 Tomahawk missile launchers around Iran. This land-attack missile is a mainstay for the United States in striking various locations.

The United States has deployed its naval fleet alongside diplomatic efforts. In Geneva, Switzerland, the US-Iran delegation resumed negotiations on Tuesday afternoon Geneva time.

The United States was represented by Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Meanwhile, the Iranian delegation was led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. FARS reported that several legal, economic, and other technical staff accompanied Araghchi.

"A breakthrough in Geneva is possible. However, only if both parties enter negotiations with a mutual understanding of realistic goals," said senior analyst at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) in Israel, Danny Citrinowicz.

The former Head of the Israel Department at the Israeli Defense Intelligence stated that a realistic target for the US-Iran relationship is a limited agreement to prevent war. This agreement is also aimed at preventing nuclear tensions.

"The agreement to stabilize regional balance—even if it leaves larger disputes unresolved. If the parties attempt to secure more than that, escalation is almost unavoidable," he stated.