U.S. hits Iran with fresh strikes after Trump earlier reinstated Hormuz blockade

The U.S. military on Monday said it had begun launching a third consecutive night of strikes against Iran, after President Donald Trump earlier reinstated an American naval blockade against the country and called for a 20% reimbursement fee for protecting ships through the Strait of Hormuz.

“These strikes will continue imposing a heavy cost on Iranian forces and degrade their ability to attack innocent civilians and commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz,” U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said. The strikes came within an hour after Trump in an interview with Hugh Hewitt said “we’re going to hit (Iran) very hard tonight and we’re going to hit them hard tomorrow — and there’s not a damn thing they can do about it.”

In a post on social media in the morning, Trump said the U.S. would henceforth be known as “The Guardian of the Hormuz Strait” and argued that shipping traffic should contribute to the costs of maintaining security in the region.

“As a matter of fairness, the United States should be reimbursed at a rate of 20% on all cargo shipped for the expenses associated with ensuring safety and security in this highly volatile corridor,” Trump said.
Earlier in the day Trump had said “We’re going to keep the strait, and we’ll probably run it. We’ll become the guardian of the strait. Maybe we’ll call it the guardian angel of the strait. And we should be reimbursed for that,” in a phone interview on Fox News’ Fox & Friends.
The Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of global oil consumption passes, has become the central flashpoint in the escalating confrontation. Iran’s effective blockade of the narrow shipping lane has fueled a surge in energy prices and intensified fears of higher global inflation.

“We’re going to guard it. We’re going to get paid for guarding it — a lot of money,” Trump said.

Iran swiftly rejected Trump’s remarks. The country’s top joint military command said Tehran would not allow the United States to intervene in the management of the Strait of Hormuz and warned that any cooperation by regional countries with Washington would be regarded as an act of war against Iran.

The exchange underscores the rapidly escalating standoff over one of the world’s most strategically important maritime chokepoints, raising concerns over further disruptions to global energy supplies and shipping.

CENTCOM said on Sunday evening that it had concluded its latest strikes against Iran, following claims from President Donald Trump that the Strait of Hormuz remained open to commercial shipping. The military hit dozens of targets in multiple locations across Iran, with the aggression aimed at hobbling Tehran’s ability to stage attacks in the chokepoint.

Earlier on Sunday, Trump said the Strait of Hormuz remained open to commercial shipping, contrary to Iran’s claims that the key waterway was closed in response to recent U.S. aggression.

“U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) completed a new wave of offensive strikes against Iran… to degrade Iran’s ability to continue attacking international shipping flowing through the Strait of Hormuz,” Centcom said in a statement.
The comments came after U.S. forces struck about 140 Iranian military targets on Saturday in response to an attack on the Cyprus-flagged container ship M/V GFS Galaxy, bringing Washington’s three-day campaign to more than 300 targets. Iran retaliated with strikes it said targeted U.S. and allied military facilities across the Gulf, while the United Arab Emirates said it intercepted Iranian missiles and drones.

The IRGC also said it disabled a second vessel in the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates said its air defenses intercepted Iranian missiles and drones, while warning sirens sounded in Bahrain and explosions were reported in Doha.

The latest military action came after Iran declared the Strait of Hormuz closed “until further notice” after vessels attempted to transit what it described as unauthorized routes. The IRGC warned the waterway would remain closed until “the end of U.S. interference in this region” and said any retaliation would be met with a “severe response.”

“Iran made a poor choice. Now they pay,” U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in a post on X.

Oil prices surged over 9% on Monday following the weekend developments, as markets braced for more supply disruptions in the Middle East. Marine Traffic data showed a small number of vessels currently transiting Hormuz.

Diplomatic efforts continued behind the scenes, with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi meeting Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi in Muscat to discuss mechanisms for ensuring safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Oman said negotiations would continue at both the political and technical levels.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran maintains that future arrangements governing transit through the Strait of Hormuz should be developed through consultations between the two littoral states, taking into consideration the developments of recent months, particularly the imposed US-Zionist regime war and its security implications for navigation in the Strait of Hormuz,” Iran’s Foreign Ministry said on Sunday.

The latest exchange has further dimmed prospects for renewed negotiations between Washington and Tehran. Iran has accused the United States of violating the recent ceasefire agreement, with Araghchi warning that “there can only be mutual compliance.” Washington, meanwhile, continues to demand that Tehran guarantee safe passage for commercial shipping before broader talks can advance.

The conflict has increasingly spread across the Gulf, raising concerns over regional security and global energy supplies. Iran’s effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil passes, has driven oil prices higher, adding to inflationary pressures and raising fears of slower global economic growth.

Rising fuel prices are also emerging as a political challenge for President Donald Trump ahead of November’s congressional elections.

Separately, Iran’s new Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei vowed to avenge the killing of his predecessor and father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, saying the country would pursue retaliation regardless of future developments. His statement came after Trump warned that the U.S. military was prepared to launch a massive response if Iran attempted to assassinate him.