US reimposed Iran blockade as Revolutionary Guard threatens to halt all Middle East energy exports

The U.S. military reimposed a blockade on Iranian ports early Wednesday following Tehran's attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz, escalating a conflict that threatens to unravel a ceasefire agreement signed just weeks earlier. The blockade, initially imposed in mid-April and lifted in mid-June after a 60-day interim deal, was reinstated as both nations launched coordinated military strikes across the region.

Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard responded by threatening to halt all energy exports from the Middle East, stating that "oil and gas from the region will be either for everyone or for no one." The U.S. military carried out strikes on dozens of targets over seven hours on Wednesday, while Iran launched missiles and drones at neighboring Gulf Arab states. Missile alerts were issued in Bahrain and Kuwait early Wednesday morning, and Jordan reported intercepting three Iranian missiles. Iran claimed responsibility for attacks on all three nations. At least 260 people were wounded in Iranian strikes, according to Iran's Health Ministry, marking an intensification of the conflict.

The Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of the world's oil and natural gas trade passes during peacetime, remains the focal point of the escalating military confrontation. The U.S. has deployed at least 19 warships in the Arabian Sea, including two aircraft carriers and an amphibious assault ship carrying over 1,000 Marines, along with hundreds of military aircraft across the Middle East. U.S. Navy Admiral Brad Cooper stated that "U.S. forces are holding Iran accountable for unwarranted aggression that continues to endanger innocent lives," while Iran's UN ambassador countered that "the U.S. is the aggressor, not the victim."

President Trump initially announced plans to impose a 20% fee on ships transiting the strait but dropped the proposal hours before reimposing the blockade, citing requests from Persian Gulf allies. Trump later stated that regional leaders proposed investing billions in the United States as an alternative arrangement. The conflict erupted after the U.S. and Israel launched military action against Iran on February 28, and escalated when Iran attacked ships on routes near Oman that are outside Tehran's control, triggering the recent cycle of violence that has undermined the interim peace negotiations.