Trump announces Iran naval blockade, vows to guard Strait of Hormuz; Iran warns of regional firestorm

President Donald Trump announced the U.S. will re-establish a naval blockade of Iran, targeting only Iranian ships and their customers. He declared the U.S. will act as the "guardian of the Strait of Hormuz," a vital global oil and gas transit route. Trump stated the U.S. will charge a fee of 20 percent of the value of cargo passing through the strait to cover security costs, with the process beginning immediately.

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We are reintroducing the Iranian blockade, so-called because it will only stop Iranian ships or their customers when entering and exiting.

This move follows a recent escalation of mutual attacks between the U.S. and Iran. Tehran claims Iranian forces targeted U.S. military sites in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and Jordan, while U.S. forces reportedly struck multiple Iranian coastal cities.

Iran's Joint Staff spokesperson Khatam al-Anbiya warned that Tehran will not permit U.S. interference in managing the strait. He asserted that Iranian forces would respond forcefully to any attempt to disrupt the passage of commercial ships and oil tankers. Furthermore, he cautioned regional nations that any logistical or military support for U.S. forces would be viewed as an act of war against Iranian sovereignty. "If the war expands, its flames will engulf all countries in the region," the spokesperson warned.

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The process begins immediately.

Despite both sides expressing a desire to avoid full-scale war, the latest exchange of strikes has significantly heightened tensions in the Middle East.

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If the war expands, its flames will engulf all countries in the region.