President Trump has announced that he’s reimposed the naval blockade on Iran. The US has continued its air campaign against Iranian military targets.
He also formally notified Congress in a letter, on Monday, that military action against Iran had resumed. The administration sees the letter as starting a new 60-day clock to use the military in the region without congressional approval.
Iran Army Tank. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said it would “resume blockading maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports,” beginning at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, reinstating the blockade that had been in place until the U.S. and Iran signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) intended to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
According to President Trump, shipping in the Strait will be open to all shipping traffic except for Iran. Earlier this week, nine sanctioned Iranian tankers went dark off the coast of Malaysia, carrying crude oil with an estimated value of $989 million, maritime intelligence firm Windward said.
Iran’s oil minister, Mohsen Paknejad, responded defiantly to Trump’s decision, saying it has other ways to export its oil.
Iran has launched attacks on its Gulf neighbors, including the UAE, Bahrain, and Jordan. According to the Jordan News Agency, Jordanian defense units intercepted four Iranian missiles on Monday.
“Four missiles that entered Jordanian airspace from Iranian territory have been intercepted and downed,” the agency reported.
Trump Trolls Iran With Talk Of 20 Percent Security Fee In The Strait
In what could be described as “The Art of the Troll,” in an obvious move to tweak Iran, with its Persian Gulf Strait Authority and its insistence on charging fees for transiting the Strait, President Trump announced the “Guardian of the Strait of Hormuz” initiative, implementing a universal 20 percent security fee on all commercial cargo transiting the key oil chokepoint.
Iran’s missile capabilities. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Trump was using Iran’s perceived leverage in negotiations against it.
The US has no intention of charging fees or tolls in the Strait of Hormuz; it has been adamant about the freedom of navigation in the Strait.
“No country is allowed to charge tolls or fees on an international waterway,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said last month.
But it had its desired effect as the Iranians quickly responded. “POTUS is absolutely right. Whoever provides secure and safe passage of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz should be compensated for this service,” Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a post on X.
“Iran has always been the GUARDIAN of the Strait and will remain so FOREVER. 20 percent is, of course, too much. We will be fair.”
Trump, after setting many of the news agencies’ tongues wagging, posted on his Truth Social page, “Based on highly productive conversations with Middle East leadership, I have decided to replace the 20 percent United States Reimbursement Fee with Trade and Investment Deals that the various Gulf States will be making into the United States.”
“The Strait of Hormuz is open to ALL Ship traffic except for Iran — and that is because of their lying, violent, malicious leadership, which is taking them down the path of TOTAL DESTRUCTION,” Trump posted to his Truth Social page.
US Hits “Dozens Of Targets” With Precision Munitions
CENTCOM forces struck Iranian air defense systems, coastal radar sites, missile and drone capabilities, and small boats using US aircraft, naval vessels, one-way attack aerial drones, and one-way attack sea drones for the first time.
Iranian state media reported strikes in several central and southern provinces, killing at least one person and wounding several others.
US Navy Conducts First-Ever Shipborne Drone Strike Against Iran
The U.S. military, utilizing the U.S. Navy and Central Command, conducted its first-ever combat strikes using seaborne drones against Iranian targets on July 12.
Three Corsair uncrewed surface vessels struck a submarine and a ship maintenance facility at the Bandar Abbas Naval Base.
The Bandar Abbas base is Iran’s primary naval complex and headquarters for both the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) naval forces.
Located on the Strait of Hormuz, it supports missile boats, submarine maintenance, and maritime operations controlling the region’s shipping lanes.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) posted a 25-second video on X Monday: the Corsairs approach an Iranian pier at Bandar Abbas, near the Strait of Hormuz, with what appears to be a Ghadir-class midget submarine suspended from a gantry above the water.
“Yesterday, using multiple one-way attack surface drones, CENTCOM forces successfully struck a submarine and ship maintenance facility in Iran,” reads the X post. “Three Corsair unmanned surface vessels hit the port at Bandar Abbas Naval Base, marking the first time American forces have employed sea drones in combat operations.”
The Corsair drone boats are manufactured by Saronic Tech out of Louisiana. The 24-foot drones pack a 1,000-pound payload and have a range of 1,150 miles, with a top speed of 35 knots (40 mph).
Saronic is manufacturing about 1,000 boats a year, and that number is set to increase to 2,000 soon.
Due to ongoing attacks by both sides, oil prices surged on Tuesday, with crude futures jumping to $78.86 in midday trading.
About the Author: Steve Balestrieri
Steve Balestrieri is a National Security Columnist. He served as a US Army Special Forces NCO and Warrant Officer. In addition to writing on defense, he covers the NFL for PatsFans.com and is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA). His work was regularly featured in many military publications.
