Trump announces renewed Iran naval blockade as Washington, Tehran trade fresh strikes

US President Donald Trump announced on Monday that Washington would immediately reimpose a naval blockade on Iran and keep the Strait of Hormuz open to commercial shipping “with or without Iran”, as the two countries exchanged a fresh wave of military strikes around the strategic waterway.

Trump said the blockade would target Iranian vessels and ships operated by Tehran’s allies while allowing vessels from other countries to pass through the strait. He added that the United States would protect maritime traffic in exchange for a 20% share of transported cargo, saying the payment would cover the cost of securing the route.

Speaking to Fox News, Trump said Washington was taking control of the Strait of Hormuz and accused Iran of abandoning a potential agreement after attacking a commercial vessel with a drone. He warned that the United States would strike Iran “very hard”, adding that American forces had already carried out major attacks overnight.

US Central Command said it had launched a new wave of strikes against Iranian military targets aimed at degrading Tehran’s ability to attack civilian sailors and commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

Iranian media reported explosions in Bandar Abbas, Sirik, Qeshm Island and the port of Jask. Authorities in Hormozgan province said no civilian casualties or damage to residential or commercial infrastructure had been recorded in Bandar Abbas or Qeshm.

Iran’s Mehr news agency reported that two people were killed and three others wounded in strikes on sites in Abadan district in Khuzestan province. Iran’s military also said it had shot down a US drone over Bandar Abbas.

In retaliation, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it had launched operations against US targets in Kuwait, Jordan, Bahrain and Oman. The IRGC declared that “the Strait of Hormuz is our territory” and vowed to continue exercising sovereignty over the waterway while resisting what it described as illegal US interference.

Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters also warned that US involvement in managing the Strait of Hormuz threatened regional security, global trade and maritime traffic, and said Washington and its regional partners would bear responsibility for any further escalation.

Bahrain said its air defences intercepted and destroyed several Iranian missiles and drones, while Qatar condemned attacks targeting Jordan, Bahrain and Kuwait, describing them as violations of sovereignty and international law.

Egypt and Saudi Arabia called for an immediate halt to the escalation during a telephone conversation between their foreign ministers. The two countries condemned the repeated Iranian attacks on Gulf states and Jordan and stressed the importance of safeguarding freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.

They also rejected any attempt to impose restrictions or fees on vessels using international waterways, warning that such measures would undermine global trade and energy security.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry said recent talks in Muscat had focused on arrangements for managing the strait but accused Washington of undermining the discussions. Trump, however, insisted that the Strait of Hormuz remained open to commercial shipping despite Tehran’s declaration that it had been closed.