Iran has been sending radio signals to ships stating that no vessel is allowed to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, according to Reuters.

Ships navigating near the waterway have received very high frequency (VHF) transmissions from the Iranian force warning vessels against transiting the strait, an official from the EU’s naval mission Aspides told Reuters.

The Strait of Hormuz is the world’s most critical oil transit chokepoint, linking major Gulf producers including Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Oman with China, India, and other countries.

The war launched by the US and Israel on February 28 morning against Iran has quickly escalated, prompting anxiety and concern in the whole region

In response to the heightened risk, Barclays hiked its Brent crude forecast from $80 to $100 per barrel, citing significant supply chain vulnerabilities, according to the Middle East News Agency (MENA).