The United States has launched a fresh wave of military strikes across Iran, with President Donald Trump announcing a reinstated naval blockade and a controversial 20 percent tariff on all cargo passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The latest moves have triggered immediate, retaliatory drone and missile strikes by Tehran against regional neighbors, shattering hopes of making the June interim peace deal permanent.
The five-hour American mission targeted critical military hubs in coastal Bushehr and Bandar Abbas. According to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), the operations aimed to degrade Iran's capability to target commercial shipping. The strikes have killed at least 28 people in Iran over the past week, according to local reports.
This conflict has rapidly spilled across the Persian Gulf, marked by severe escalation on multiple fronts. Iranian cruise missiles recently struck two United Arab Emirates oil tankers in the strait, leaving one crew member dead and eight others wounded. In addition, the British maritime security agency UKMTO reported that a missile struck another commercial tanker off the coast of Oman.
In response to the American strikes, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards launched missiles and drones at a residential building that U.S. forces used in Bahrain. Although Bahraini forces successfully intercepted several of the incoming attacks, the aggression heightened regional panic. Simultaneously, neighboring Jordan reported shooting down four Iranian missiles crossing its airspace. These rapid developments triggered a massive shock in the global oil market, causing crude prices to surge by over nine percent on Monday and continue rising into Tuesday.
The new naval blockade on Iran's ports is scheduled to officially begin at 20:00 GMT on Tuesday. Alongside the blockade, President Trump claimed the U.S. is taking over the strait and will act as "The Guardian of the Hormuz Strait," levying a mandatory 20 percent fee on all passing vessels to cover security costs.
The tariff plan has drawn accusations of piracy from international leaders, including Brazilian President Lula da Silva, as well as mockery from Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who joked that Tehran would charge less than the proposed American fee. International law generally prohibits charging navigation fees on global transit straits. Despite the severe breakdown in the June ceasefire, President Trump maintains that a permanent deal with Tehran is still possible, even as Iranian officials warn that the previous memorandum of understanding is now in a state of crisis.
