President Donald Trump has announced the reinstatement of a US naval blockade of Iranian ports and the introduction of a 20% charge on cargo transiting the Strait of Hormuz, significantly escalating tensions with Tehran and raising fresh concerns over global energy supplies.
Trump said the blockade would take effect from 16:00 Eastern Time (20:00 GMT) on Tuesday, declaring that the United States would become the guardian of the strategic waterway while allowing other countries continued access.
Writing on Truth Social, Trump said the US would be the guardian of the Strait of Hormuz and impose a 20% charge on all cargo passing through the vital shipping lane. He added that the measures would prevent Iran’s ships or customers from entering or leaving the waterway, while all other countries will have fair and open use of the Strait.
The announcement came after renewed military exchanges between Washington and Tehran overnight.
The US Central Command said it carried out strikes against Iranian military targets, including air defence systems, coastal radar installations, missile sites, drone facilities, a submarine facility and an Iranian ship maintenance base. The military said the operation was in response to Iranian attacks on commercial vessels navigating the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran, however, said it retaliated by targeting US military bases in Kuwait, Jordan and Bahrain, as well as radar systems in Oman.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi rejected Trump’s assertion that Washington would become the protector of the strategic shipping lane.
Araghchi said Iran had always been the guardian of the strait and added that whoever provides safe passage should be compensated for this service.
Before Trump’s announcement, Iran’s military had warned that it would not allow the United States to interfere in the management of the Strait of Hormuz.
Despite the renewed hostilities, a limited number of commercial vessels continued moving through the waterway, although maritime traffic remained significantly below normal levels, according to ship-tracking platform MarineTraffic.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important oil transit routes, handling a substantial share of global crude exports. Any disruption to shipping through the corridor has historically fuelled volatility in international energy markets and heightened concerns over global supply chains.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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