US Reimposes Blockade on Iran as Strait of Hormuz Standoff Enters Fifth Day

The U.S. military reimposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports and launched a new wave of airstrikes Wednesday, as Iran threatened to close all oil export routes from the region. The escalation marks the fifth day of renewed hostilities following the collapse of an interim peace deal.

The U.S. military reimposed a blockade on Iranian ports early Wednesday and carried out another wave of strikes across Iran, as the standoff over the Strait of Hormuz escalated into its fifth consecutive day.

The blockade follows days of Iranian attacks on commercial vessels transiting the strait, which Tehran has increasingly treated as its territorial waterway since the U.S.-led war on Iran began in February. Iran's Revolutionary Guard warned in a statement carried by state media that "the region's oil and gas exports will either be available to everyone or to no one," according to the Associated Press.

The AP reported that the U.S. military struck dozens of targets over a seven-hour period. CENTCOM accused Iran of attacking seven commercial ships and launching missiles against Gulf countries. Iran said U.S. strikes killed seven of its military personnel in the country's southeast.

Just hours before the blockade took effect, President Trump reversed his decision to impose a 20-percent cargo fee on ships in exchange for safe passage through the strait. Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump said he changed his mind after feedback from Gulf Arab countries. The blockade itself, however, remained in place.

Maritime tracking firm Kpler recorded only 21 ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday — a fraction of normal commercial traffic. CBS News reported that Brent crude surged past $85 per barrel as markets priced in the uncertainty.

The crisis threatens to widen. Iranian state TV quoted a senior Houthi official warning that the Bab al-Mandeb Strait — through which roughly 10 percent of the world's oil flows — could also be closed in an "operational alliance" with Tehran if the situation deteriorates further.

In a related development, Fox News reported that the IRGC claimed responsibility for drone strikes that hit civilian infrastructure in Kuwait's port area, signaling that Iran's allies in the region may be activating across multiple fronts.

Sources: Associated Press, CBS News, Fox News