Author: Manuel

President Donald Trump’s decision to reimpose a maritime blockade on Iran’s ports opens a new phase in the confrontation between Washington and Tehran and places the Strait of Hormuz again at the center of a crisis with consequences that go beyond direct military clashes. The move aims to prevent maritime trade with the Islamic Republic, increase economic pressure on the Iranian government and, according to the White House, protect one of the world’s most important energy routes.

The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that its naval forces will resume a naval blockade targeting vessels entering or leaving Iranian ports—an operation that was previously carried out from April 13 to June 18 and was suspended after a ceasefire agreement between the parties.

Although described as a “naval blockade,” the measure does not mean a physical closure of the Strait of Hormuz nor a total halt to commercial navigation in the Persian Gulf. Its purpose is narrower: to prevent commercial ships from trading with Iran through a US Navy-managed system of surveillance, interception and diversion of vessels.

In practice, any ship whose origin or destination is an Iranian port can be identified, intercepted and ordered to change course. If the ship’s master complies, the vessel continues; if not, the United States warns it may immobilize the ship using military operations.

At the same time, Washington says other commercial traffic will continue to receive protection while transiting the region’s waters, and it has asked all mariners to maintain contact with US naval forces when approaching the Gulf of Oman and the approaches to the Strait of Hormuz.

The distinction between blocking Iranian ports and closing the Strait of Hormuz is crucial to understanding the measure’s reach. Hormuz remains an international maritime corridor open to ships from various countries. However, nearly all of Iran’s major Persian Gulf ports rely on that passage to access international trade, so controlling access to those terminals exerts significant pressure on Iran’s economy without fully halting global navigation.

The reimposition of the maritime blockade follows President Trump’s declaration that the June memorandum of understanding was void because Iran allegedly continued attacking merchant ships near the Strait of Hormuz despite agreeing to reduce hostilities. The move also coincides with an escalation of US military operations.

Over the weekend, US forces reported striking roughly 140 Iranian military targets using fighter aircraft, drones and warships. CENTCOM also confirmed the first operational use of maritime drones to destroy a submarine and vessel maintenance facility in Bandar Abbas, Iran’s main military port and a strategic site on the Strait of Hormuz.

Tehran responded with tougher rhetoric. Army spokesman Brig. Gen. Mohamad Akraminia said the armed forces “will not yield an inch” on the Strait of Hormuz and asserted that the passage “will never be reopened by war, aggression or US attacks.” The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps reiterated that the strait’s closure will remain in effect while US intervention continues and warned that any attempt to change that situation will be met with a military response.

At the same time, Iran has intensified attacks on vessels operating near the Strait of Hormuz and has launched missiles and drones against US bases and countries allied with Washington, including Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Oman, broadening the conflict’s regional impact.

The new US offensive also revives tactics used during the blockade’s first phase. Between April and June, CENTCOM said it diverted more than 140 vessels that complied with orders, disabled nine ships that breached the blockade and allowed passage for over 50 commercial vessels carrying humanitarian aid.

Beyond its military dimension, the reestablished naval blockade has a strong economic component. Shipping companies that continue to deal with Iran will face a higher risk of interception, and maritime insurance and shipping costs could rise if tensions escalate further.

The strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz explains market concerns. Before the outbreak of hostilities, about one-fifth of the world’s traded oil passed through that corridor daily. Although the United States insists that international navigation will remain open for ships not trading with Iran, any military incident in the area can disrupt energy supply chains and put upward pressure on global oil prices.

Adding uncertainty, President Trump announced that the United States will begin charging a fee equal to 20% of the cargo’s value to vessels seeking US protection to cross the Strait of Hormuz. If implemented, the proposal would not only raise maritime trade costs but also reinforce the role Washington seeks as guarantor of security for one of the world’s most strategic sea lanes—a role Iran rejects and that risks prolonging the confrontation in the Persian Gulf.

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President Donald Trump’s decision to reinstate a maritime blockade against Iranian ports opens a new chapter in the confrontation between Washington and Tehran, placing the Strait of Hormuz again at the center of a crisis with implications that go beyond direct military clashes. The move aims to prevent maritime trade with the Islamic Republic, increase economic pressure on the Iranian regime, and, according to the White House, protect one of the world’s most important energy routes.

The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that its naval forces will resume the naval blockade of vessels entering or leaving Iranian ports, an operation that had been in effect from April 13 to June 18 before being suspended after the ceasefire agreement signed by both sides.

Although described as a “naval blockade,” the measure does not involve physically closing the Strait of Hormuz or completely halting commercial navigation in the Persian Gulf. Its aim is more specific: to prevent commercial vessels from conducting trade with Iran through a system of surveillance, interception, and rerouting of ships managed by the U.S. Navy.

In practice, any vessel with an Iranian port as origin or destination can be identified, intercepted, and ordered to change course. If the captain complies, the ship continues on its route; if not, the United States warns it may immobilize the vessel through military operations.

At the same time, Washington says other commercial traffic will continue to receive protection to transit the region, and it has asked all mariners to stay in contact with U.S. naval forces when approaching the Gulf of Oman and the approaches to the Strait of Hormuz.

The distinction between blocking Iranian ports and closing the Strait of Hormuz is key to understanding the measure’s scope. Hormuz remains an international maritime corridor open to vessels of different countries. However, almost all of Iran’s major ports in the Persian Gulf rely on that passage to connect with international trade, so controlling access to those terminals exerts significant pressure on Iran’s economy without completely preventing global navigation.

The reinstatement of the maritime blockade follows Donald Trump’s declaration that the memorandum of understanding reached in June was void, arguing that Iran continued to attack merchant vessels near the Strait of Hormuz despite committing to reduce hostilities. The move coincides with an intensification of U.S. military operations.

Over the weekend, U.S. forces reported striking roughly 140 Iranian military targets using combat aircraft, drones, and warships. CENTCOM also confirmed the first operational use of maritime drones to destroy a maintenance facility for submarines and vessels at Bandar Abbas, Iran’s main military port and a strategic enclave on the Strait of Hormuz.

Tehran responded by raising the rhetorical and operational stakes. Army spokesman Brigadier General Mohamad Akraminia said the Armed Forces “will not yield an inch” over the Strait of Hormuz and asserted that the waterway “will never be reopened through war, aggression, or U.S. attacks.” The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps reiterated that the closure of the strait will remain in place while U.S. intervention continues and warned that any attempt to change that situation will receive a military response.

At the same time, Iran has stepped up attacks on vessels navigating near the Strait of Hormuz and launched missiles and drones against U.S. bases and countries allied with Washington, including Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, and Oman, expanding the conflict’s regional reach.

The new U.S. offensive also revives a strategy used during the first phase of the maritime blockade. Between April and June, CENTCOM said it diverted more than 140 vessels that complied with orders, disabled nine ships that violated the blockade, and allowed the passage of over 50 commercial vessels carrying humanitarian aid.

Beyond its military dimension, the reinstatement of the naval blockade has a significant economic component. Shipping companies that continue to operate with Iran will face a higher risk of interception, while marine insurance and shipping costs could rise if tensions continue to escalate.

The strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz explains market concerns. Before the war, about one fifth of the world’s traded oil passed through that corridor daily. Although the United States insists international navigation will remain open for ships that do not trade with Iran, any military incident in the area can disrupt energy supply chains and put upward pressure on global oil prices.

There is an additional source of uncertainty: Donald Trump announced that the United States will begin charging a fee equivalent to 20% of the cargo’s value to ships that request U.S. protection to cross the Strait of Hormuz. If implemented, the initiative would not only increase maritime trade costs but also reinforce Washington’s role as security guarantor for one of the globe’s most strategic sea lanes — a role Iran rejects outright and one that risks prolonging the confrontation in the Persian Gulf.

(more…)

President Donald Trump’s decision to restore a maritime blockade against Iranian ports opens a new phase in the confrontation between Washington and Tehran and places the Strait of Hormuz back at the center of a crisis with implications beyond a bilateral military clash. The measure aims to prevent maritime trade with the Islamic Republic, increase economic pressure on the Iranian regime and, according to the White House, ensure the security of one of the world’s most important energy routes.

The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that its naval forces will resume the naval blockade of vessels entering or leaving Iranian ports, an operation that was previously in effect from April 13 to June 18 before being suspended after the ceasefire agreement signed by both sides.

Although presented as a “naval blockade,” the action does not mean the physical closure of the Strait of Hormuz nor a total halt to commercial navigation in the Persian Gulf. Its aim is more specific: to prevent commercial ships from trading with Iran through a system of surveillance, interception and diversion of vessels managed by the U.S. Navy.

In practice, any ship whose origin or destination is an Iranian port can be identified, intercepted and forced to change course. If the captain complies with orders, the vessel continues sailing. If the orders are ignored, the United States warns it may immobilize the ship through military operations.

Washington maintains that other commercial traffic will continue to receive protection while transiting the region, and it has asked all mariners to stay in contact with U.S. naval forces when approaching the Gulf of Oman and the approaches to the Strait of Hormuz.

The distinction between blocking Iranian ports and closing the Strait of Hormuz is key to understanding the measure’s scope. Hormuz remains an international maritime corridor open to vessels from different countries. However, nearly all of Iran’s major Persian Gulf ports rely on that passage to connect with international trade, so controlling access to those terminals exerts significant pressure on Iran’s economy without fully disrupting global navigation.

The reimposition of the maritime blockade follows President Trump’s statement that the memorandum of understanding reached in June had been broken, alleging that Iran continued to attack merchant ships near the Strait of Hormuz despite a commitment to reduce hostilities. The move also coincides with an intensification of U.S. military operations.

Over the weekend, U.S. forces reported striking around 140 Iranian military targets using combat aircraft, drones and warships. CENTCOM also confirmed the first operational use of maritime drones to destroy a maintenance facility for submarines and boats in Bandar Abbas, Iran’s main naval port and one of the strategic sites along the Strait of Hormuz.

Tehran responded by raising the level of its rhetoric. Army spokesperson Brigadier General Mohamad Akraminia said the Armed Forces “will not yield an inch” regarding the Strait of Hormuz and asserted that the waterway “will never be reopened through war, aggression or U.S. attacks.” The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps reiterated that the closure of the strait will remain in effect while U.S. intervention continues in the region and warned that any attempt to change that situation will receive a military response.

At the same time, Iran has stepped up attacks on vessels navigating near the Strait of Hormuz and launched missiles and drones against U.S. bases and countries allied with Washington, including Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Oman, expanding the regional scope of the conflict.

The new U.S. offensive also revives a strategy used during the first phase of the maritime blockade. Between April and June, CENTCOM said it had diverted more than 140 vessels that complied with naval orders, disabled nine ships that violated the blockade and authorized the passage of over 50 commercial vessels carrying humanitarian aid.

Beyond its military dimension, the reinstated naval blockade carries a strong economic component. Shipping companies that continue operations with Iran will face a higher risk of interception, and maritime insurance and transport costs could rise if tensions continue to escalate.

The strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz explains market concerns. Before the outbreak of war, roughly one-fifth of the world’s traded oil passed through that maritime corridor each day. Although the United States insists that international navigation will remain open for vessels not trading with Iran, any military incident in the area could disrupt energy supply chains and create new upward pressure on international crude prices.

Adding to the uncertainty, President Trump announced that the United States will begin charging a fee equal to 20% of the value of the cargo carried to vessels that request U.S. protection to cross the Strait of Hormuz. If implemented, the move would not only raise maritime trade costs but also reinforce the role Washington seeks to play as guarantor of security in one of the world’s most strategic sea lanes — a claim Iran flatly rejects and one that risks prolonging the confrontation in the Persian Gulf.

(more…)

The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) carried out, in the early hours of Tuesday, a third consecutive wave of strikes against Iran ordered by President Donald Trump, after the president warned the country would be hit “very hard” and said, “There is nothing they can do about it. They have nothing.” Hours later, the U.S. military command reported that the offensive targeted Iranian military capabilities linked to the Strait of Hormuz.

Soon after the bombings, the United Arab Emirates reported that Iranian cruise missiles struck two Emirati tankers transiting the southern lane of the Strait of Hormuz, in Omani territorial waters. The attack left one crew member dead and eight people injured.

Following the nighttime strikes, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed, on Tuesday morning, further missile and drone attacks against the Jufair naval base in Bahrain, home to the U.S. Fifth Fleet, and said it also struck an airbase in Jordan used by U.S. forces.

After the breakdown of the memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran and the resumption of hostilities last week, Trump said the strait would remain open “with or without Iran” and announced that the United States would charge a 20% fee to ships transiting that route to cover security costs. In response, Iran’s senior military leadership said Washington has no authority over the strait’s future, while Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi wrote on X: “Tehran will always be the guardian of the strait.”

Below is minute-by-minute coverage:

A Norwegian tanker exploded off the coast of Oman

A Norwegian tanker was struck by an explosion caused by an unidentified device off the coast of Oman in the early hours of Tuesday, with no casualties reported, MTI Network, a crisis management firm, said citing the shipping company.

At approximately 00:40 local time, the Stolt Magnesium, sailing in the Arabian Sea off Omani waters, “was struck by the explosion of an unidentified external device,” MTI Network said in a statement, quoting information provided by the shipowner Stolt Tankers.

The explosion caused a fire in the vessel’s engine room but, according to the same source, the crew is “fortunately safe and accounted for.”

The British agency UK Maritime Trade Operations indicated that a tanker reported being “hit by an unknown projectile in the engine room,” 40 nautical miles northeast of Qalhat, Oman.

U.S. sailors conduct flight operations aboard the USS George H.W. Bush

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) posted images on its X account showing American sailors conducting flight operations aboard the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush.

“U.S. sailors conduct flight operations aboard the USS George H.W. Bush,” CENTCOM wrote in a brief caption accompanying a video.

The Gulf Cooperation Council secretary-general condemned Iran’s “terrorist” attacks

The secretary-general of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, Jasim Mohamed al Budaiui, condemned Iran’s “terrorist” attacks on Emirati tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, stressing that they represent a “blatant violation” and “serious breach” of the principles of international law and freedom of navigation.

“He expressed his strongest condemnation and denunciation of the Iranian attack against the tankers ‘Mombasa’ and ‘Al Bahia,’ owned by the United Arab Emirates, which caused the death of a crew member and injuries to several others,” Al Budaiui said in a statement.

He added that the “terrorist attack” against the Emirati vessels “constitutes a blatant violation and a serious breach of the principles of international law and the rules on freedom of maritime navigation,” and violates United Nations Security Council resolutions.

“The GCC stands united with the United Arab Emirates and supports all measures it takes to protect its security, sovereignty, facilities and vital interests,” the regional bloc’s secretary-general said, calling on the international community to “assume its legal and moral responsibilities and adopt a firm and deterrent stance against these serious and repeated Iranian attacks.”

Three Bahrainis sentenced to life imprisonment for spying for Iran

Bahrain’s High Criminal Court on Tuesday sentenced three Bahraini nationals to life imprisonment after finding them guilty of spying for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and collaborating with that “terrorist group” to carry out “hostile actions” against the small Gulf kingdom.

The Terrorism Prosecution said in a statement that the sentences relate to two separate cases, but that the rulings were issued in a session held today in Manama by the cited court, part of a series of recent trials of dozens of Bahrainis accused of spying for or sympathizing with Iran.

The three convicted individuals, one tried in absentia, were charged “with espionage for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its collaborators, with the aim of aiding its hostile and terrorist acts against the Kingdom of Bahrain and harming its interests. The court sentenced them to life imprisonment and ordered the confiscation of seized items,” the statement said.

It detailed that among the accusations was “the provision to an electronic account managed by the terrorist group Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of videos of Iranian missile attacks against Bahrain,” as well as “locations and coordinates of vital sites inside the country so they could be attacked by the enemy.”

Iran reported U.S. strikes in a border area near Iraq and Kuwait

U.S. strikes hit an Iranian border area near Iraq and Kuwait on Tuesday, local authorities reported, amid intense fighting between the two countries.

The cities of Abadan, home to the Middle East’s oldest oil refinery, and the port city of Mahshahr were targeted by the attacks, Valiollah Hayati, deputy governor of Khuzestan province, told the state news agency IRNA.

Iranian authorities said the US struck the port city of Bushehr

U.S. strikes hit the port city of Bushehr on Tuesday, where Iran’s only civilian nuclear power plant is located, local authorities reported amid the escalation between Tehran and Washington.

“Four points in the city of Bushehr were hit by enemy projectiles at noon (08:30 GMT),” deputy provincial governor Ehsan Jahanian told the official news agency IRNA, attributing the attacks to the United States.

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The Iranian Army said it will not yield “an inch” on the Strait of Hormuz

The Iranian Army said the Armed Forces will not yield “an inch” on the Strait of Hormuz after U.S. President Donald Trump announced the reestablishment of a naval cordon against Iran and said the United States would assume the role of “guardian” of the waterway.

“The Armed Forces will not yield an inch on the Strait of Hormuz,” Army spokesman Brigadier General Mohamad Akraminia said, according to the Tasnim news agency.

The military spokesman said “the Strait of Hormuz will never be reopened through war, aggression or U.S. attacks” and added that respect for the rights of the Iranian people is the only path to reopening one of the most important sea routes for global energy trade.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on Sunday declared a new closure of the Strait of Hormuz “until the end of U.S. interference in the region” and warned that any attempt to reopen the waterway would receive a military response.

In recent days, Iran has attacked several vessels near that strategic passage. The most recent of those attacks occurred early this morning against two United Arab Emirates tankers and caused one death and eight injuries.

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India summoned an Iranian diplomat after an attack in the Strait of Hormuz that left a sailor dead

The Government of India summoned the deputy head of the Iranian Embassy in New Delhi, Mustafa Goharifar, after an attack on two tankers in the Strait of Hormuz left one Indian sailor dead and ten others injured, a diplomat from the Iranian mission told the EFE news agency.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs later said in a statement that it lodged a “strong protest” with the Iranian diplomat over the attacks on the vessels MT Al Bahiyah and MT Mombasa, which were transiting the strategic waterway.

“We strongly condemn these attacks and acts of violence directed against seafarers and which obstruct free and safe navigation through international waterways such as the Strait of Hormuz,” the Indian Foreign Ministry said.

According to New Delhi, the two ships together carried 30 Indian seafarers out of a total crew of 46.

Of the 12 Indian citizens aboard the MT Al Bahiyah, one died and another was injured. On the MT Mombasa there were 18 Indians, of whom nine were injured, two of them seriously, the Ministry of External Affairs said.

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Iran introduced a bill to manage the Strait of Hormuz and warns it will defend its “red lines”

Iran introduced a bill in Parliament to manage the Strait of Hormuz and warned it will defend its “red lines,” Ebrahim Azizi, president of the Parliament’s National Security Commission, said.

In a message posted on the social network X, Azizi said, “Last night, coinciding with the downing of U.S. drones, the bill ‘Strategic Action for the Security and Sustainable Progress of the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf’ was formally presented in the Iranian Parliament.”

The lawmaker said, “We remain firm in defending our red lines, particularly regarding management of the Strait of Hormuz.” He also anticipated further measures, stating: “This is the first step; subsequent measures will follow.”

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U.S. diplomatic missions in the United Arab Emirates cancel appointments

The U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the U.S. Consulate General in Dubai have canceled consular appointments through Wednesday due to the regional security situation, the embassy said in a security alert.

The notice followed reports from the United Arab Emirates that two Emirati-flagged tankers were struck by Iranian missiles in the Strait of Hormuz, causing the death of a seafarer.

Jordan shot down four missiles originating from Iran

Jordan says it intercepted and shot down four missiles that entered Jordanian airspace from Iranian territory, the state news agency reported.

Iran said it launched attacks against the U.S. Fifth Fleet in Bahrain

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it launched missile and drone attacks against the U.S. Fifth Fleet in Bahrain.

It reported that the attacks caused a fire in the base’s fuel depots and struck and destroyed a Patriot radar, the fleet’s air control radar, a C-RAM early-warning radar system, and the control and monitoring center for uncrewed surface vessels (USVs).

“The reprisal operation continues,” the statement added.

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