Iran blockade returns as Trump threatens to seize Hormuz

The United States and Iran moved closer to a wider regional confrontation on Monday as Washington announced resumption of a maritime blockade of Iranian ports from Tuesday, fresh missile and drone exchanges spread across the Gulf, and renewed fighting cast serious doubt on efforts to revive a ceasefire and secure a negotiated end to the war.

The US military said it would begin enforcing the blockade at 2000 GMT on Tuesday, covering all Iranian ports, oil terminals and coastal areas. A US Navy-led Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC) advisory said vessels entering or leaving blockaded areas without authorisation would be subject to interception, diversion and capture, while neutral transit through the Strait of Hormuz to or from non-Iranian destinations would not be impeded.

President Donald Trump announced the reinstatement of the blockade after the latest exchanges of missile and drone attacks, declaring that the United States would act as the "guardian" of the Strait of Hormuz.

He also proposed charging a 20% fee on cargo shipped through the strategic waterway, a move swiftly rejected by the UN's shipping agency, which said there was no legal basis for mandatory tolls on international strait transits.

Iran insisted it remained the guardian of the Strait of Hormuz and rejected any US role in determining the future of the vital shipping route. Tehran maintained that the strait remained under its control, while Washington said maritime traffic continued to flow and that its forces were safeguarding freedom of navigation. Ship-tracking data, however, indicated vessel traffic through the waterway had fallen sharply over recent days.

The renewed confrontation followed Iran's announcement over the weekend that it was closing the Strait of Hormuz, a move that fuelled fears of disruption to one of the world's busiest energy corridors and sent oil prices sharply higher. Brent crude rose more than 4%, while US benchmark crude gained more than 8% amid growing concerns over global energy supplies.

Military operations intensified across the region as US Central Command (Centcom) said its forces carried out fresh strikes on dozens of Iranian targets, including a submarine and ship maintenance facility, using aircraft, naval vessels and drones to degrade Iran's ability to attack international shipping.

Iranian media reported explosions in the south and said military sites, including Qeshm, Bandar Abbas and Abadan, had come under attack, with two people reported killed in Abadan.

Iran responded by announcing strikes on US military facilities in Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan, while also claiming to have destroyed radar systems in Oman. Bahrain said its air defence systems intercepted several Iranian missiles and drones, Jordan reported intercepting four Iranian missiles, and Kuwait said its forces were engaging hostile aerial targets. Bahrain's military accused Iran of targeting civilians with missiles and drones.

The latest escalation has further weakened prospects for a diplomatic breakthrough. Iran said it would no longer comply with the framework agreement intended to halt the fighting whenever Washington failed to honour its commitments, although it confirmed that talks with mediators from Qatar, Pakistan and Oman were continuing in an effort to prevent further escalation.

President Trump declared the earlier ceasefire effectively over, accusing Tehran of violating previous agreements while leaving the door open for future negotiations. Iranian officials struck a similarly uncompromising tone, insisting that one-sided agreements were no longer acceptable and warning that any breach of commitments would carry consequences.

The conflict also spilled into Yemen, where the Houthi movement accused Saudi Arabia of carrying out air strikes on Sanaa International Airport and vowed retaliation. Saudi Arabia later said it had intercepted ballistic missiles fired towards its southern region, while Yemen's internationally recognised government said the airport runway had been targeted to prevent an Iranian aircraft from landing. Iran condemned the strike on Sanaa airport as a violation of international law and Yemen's sovereignty.

As fighting intensified across multiple fronts, concerns grew that the expanding conflict could further destabilise the Gulf and undermine regional efforts to restore stability, with the Strait of Hormuz remaining at the centre of the confrontation.