US launches third night of strikes on Iran as Trump announces Hormuz blockade

Tensions in the Middle East have significantly escalated as the United States initiated its third consecutive night of airstrikes against Iran. Concurrently, President Donald Trump announced the re-imposition of a naval blockade on Iranian shipping within the strategic Strait of Hormuz. This move includes a new policy to levy a 20% fee on all commercial cargo transiting the strait, ostensibly to cover security costs.

These actions follow the recent collapse of a ceasefire between the two nations, with hostilities formally resuming on July 7, according to a notification sent to Congress. Iran has retaliated by targeting US allies such as Bahrain and Jordan, and by striking tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, resulting in at least one fatality and multiple injuries. The escalating conflict and the blockade of the crucial waterway, through which a significant portion of the world's oil supplies pass, have caused oil prices to surge.