Beijing: China on Wednesday reiterated its call for "security and stability" in the Strait of Hormuz and its surrounding waters, emphasizing the importance of the waterway for global cargo and energy trade. "Safeguarding security and stability in this region is in the common interest of the international community," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told reporters in Beijing.

According to Anadolu Agency, the statement from China came after Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced that the Strait of Hormuz has been closed to transit, warning that vessels attempting to cross would be attacked. Brig. Gen. Ebrahim Jabbari, a senior adviser to the IRGC commander-in-chief, declared, "The Strait of Hormuz has been closed. We will attack and set ablaze any ship attempting to cross."

Mao Ning further urged all parties involved to "immediately cease military operations, avoid further escalation of tensions, prevent further turbulence, and avoid causing greater impacts on the global economy." The call for restraint comes amid increasing hostilities in the region.

The IRGC's announcement followed ongoing military actions by the US and Israel, which include airstrikes on Iran that started last Saturday. These strikes resulted in the death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and 786 others, including many schoolgirls. In retaliation, Tehran has launched drone and missile attacks targeting US-linked sites in Gulf countries, causing multiple fatalities.

The conflict has also claimed the lives of six US service members, with many others injured, highlighting the escalating tensions and the potential for broader regional instability.