US Military Resumes Blockade Against Iran, Trump Threatens "Heavy Strike" Tonight or Tomorrow, Imposes 20% Fee on Strait Shipping
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US Military Resumes Blockade Against Iran, Trump Threatens "Heavy Strike" Tonight or Tomorrow, Imposes 20% Fee on Strait Shipping
Crude Oil Surges 10% Intraday!
Navigating Web3 tides with focused insightsAuthor:Li Dan, Li Jia
Tensions between the US and Iran escalated suddenly, transit risks in the Strait of Hormuz surged sharply, and international crude oil futures rebounded strongly.
According to Xinhua News Agency, US President Trump said on Monday the 13th that the maritime blockade against Iran would be resumed. According to CCTV News, Trump posted on his social media on Monday stating that the Strait of Hormuz is currently open and will remain open regardless of Iran's participation. The US will re-implement a "blockade against Iran," a measure targeting only Iranian vessels or clients, restricting their entry and exit from the strait, while all other countries may use the strait fairly and openly. He also stated that the US will charge a 20% fee on all goods transported through this area, and relevant processes and deployment will start immediately.
In his social media post, Trump touted the aforementioned fee as "compensation" for the US acting as the guardian of the strait. He wrote: "From now on, the United States will be regarded as the 'Guardian of the Strait of Hormuz'; as guardians, out of the principle of 'fairness,' the United States will charge a 20% fee on all transported goods to compensate for the necessary expenses incurred in maintaining safety and security in this volatile region of the world."
During the early US stock market session on Monday, after Trump's post, international crude oil rose further, with US oil standing above $75 and intraday gains expanding to 5%, Brent oil approaching the $80 mark, up nearly 5%; the US Dollar Index and US Treasury yields rose simultaneously, S&P 500 losses expanded to 0.5%, and spot gold plunged nearly 3%.
During the mid-session of the US stock market, the US Central Command confirmed that the US military will restart the maritime blockade against Iran starting at 4 PM US Eastern Time on Tuesday the 14th, which is 4 AM Wednesday Beijing time, and international crude oil gains once expanded to nearly 10%. Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi stated that Trump's 20% fee on the Strait of Hormuz was "excessive," and also claimed that Iran has always been the guardian of the Strait of Hormuz.
During the late session of the US stock market, according to Iranian media Tasnim, explosions were heard on Iran's Larak Island located in the Strait of Hormuz, and explosions were heard in Bandar Abbas and Konarak in southern Iran. Afterwards, CCTV stated that on the evening of the 13th local time, four explosions were heard east of Bandar Abbas, Iran. After the US stock market closed, CCTV learned again in the early morning of the 14th local time that three more explosions were heard in Bandar Abbas. Iranian officials have not determined the nature of the explosions.
In the late US stock market session, after the news of explosions in the aforementioned Iranian regions was announced, international crude oil maintained an intraday gain of around 9%. After the US stock market closed on Monday, Trump said that the US would "heavily strike" Iran tonight and tomorrow, crude oil remained high, with Brent oil up over 10% compared to last Friday's close.
Afterwards, Trump claimed that he believed an Iran agreement might be reached. He said, I want to obtain "compensation" in the Strait of Hormuz; the US is providing protection for shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and will obtain compensation from countries that have received help from the US side.
After the US stock market closed on Monday, according to Xinhua News Agency citing Iranian Fars News Agency report on Monday the 13th, a US military MQ-1 drone was shot down by the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps air defense system over the Strait of Hormuz late that night. Earlier on Monday, the US Central Command revealed on social media that the US military struck a submarine and vessel maintenance facility at Iran's Bandar Abbas naval base last Sunday, marking the first time the US military used armed unmanned surface vessels in actual combat.
CCTV citing a post from the US Central Command stated that under Trump's instruction, the US military began the third consecutive night of airstrikes against Iran at 4:45 PM US Eastern Time on Monday, it also stated that the operation will continue to exact a heavy toll on Iranian armed forces and weaken their ability to attack innocent civilians and commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
US Military to Start Maritime Blockade Against Iran on Tuesday US/European Time
The International Maritime Organization (IMO), a subsidiary of the United Nations, stated after Trump's post that it opposes charging fees for vessels passing through maritime channels, but will wait for more details. During the mid-session of the US stock market, according to CCTV, the Joint Maritime Information Center supervised by the US Navy stated that the US military will begin implementing a maritime blockade on all Iranian ports and Iranian coastal areas at 20:00 GMT on July 14 (4 AM on the 15th Beijing time).
The blockade applies to all vessels, regardless of the flag they fly. The blockade scope covers the entire coastline of Iran, including but not limited to Iranian ports and oil terminals. The blockade action will not hinder neutral vessels transiting via the Strait of Hormuz to non-Iranian destinations, or transit passage departing from non-Iranian destinations. Humanitarian material transport will be allowed passage, but must undergo inspection.
During the mid-session of the US stock market, after the aforementioned news of the US military maritime blockade, oil price gains continued to expand, with US oil and Brent oil rising to above $78 and $83 respectively, and intraday gains once reached 9.86% and 9.9% respectively, close to 10%.
Although Trump stated that the fee plan would begin formulation and implementation immediately, the White House did not immediately provide more details regarding the proposal, including how it would be executed or whether communication had occurred with US allies. Commentators believe that Trump's remarks exacerbated the dispute between the US and Iran over whether this key shipping corridor is open to traffic.
Previously, according to Xinhua News Agency citing Iranian media reports on the 13th, a spokesman for the Iranian Armed Forces Khatam Al-Anbia Central Headquarters stated on that day that the US would absolutely not be allowed to interfere in the management of the Strait of Hormuz.
The spokesman said that the Iranian Armed Forces will strongly retaliate against US military actions entering designated channels without Iranian authorization and interfering with the passage of merchant ships and tankers. "Recent actions by the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Islamic Republic of Iran Army are clear proof."
Earlier on Monday, during a phone interview with US Fox News Channel, Trump stated that the US plans to control the Strait of Hormuz and should receive compensation for "guarding" this important waterway. He said, "We have guarded this strait for 50 years but have never been paid. We hope to receive compensation for this, after all, we are putting our own personnel in danger."
Iran Says Southern Channel of Strait of Hormuz "Unsafe"
According to Xinhua News Agency, the Iranian Embassy in the UK said on social media on the 13th that the southern channel of the Strait of Hormuz is "unsafe, unreliable, and prone to accidents".
The Iranian Embassy in the UK said that to comply with the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, Iran established a temporary maritime security corridor, which has no technical and military obstacles, and has informed the International Maritime Organization. However, "the US is directing vessels towards a dangerous southern parallel channel. This route is not only questionable in legality, but also unsafe, unreliable, and prone to accidents".
The Iranian Embassy in the UK said that US "military aggressive acts" such as attacking Iranian ports have made the Strait of Hormuz a highly tense and high-risk area.
After the US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding was reached, two passage channels were formed in the strait, namely the northern channel controlled by Iran and the southern channel near the Oman side, with the US military providing navigation assistance in the southern channel.
The Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy announced in the early morning of last Sunday local time on the 12th that, in view of the unsafe situation caused by illegal interference by foreign powers, the Strait of Hormuz is closed from today until further notice and until the US stops interfering in this region. The US Central Command posted on social media on Sunday morning US Eastern Time stating that "passage continues" in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran does not control the strait.
International Maritime Organization: Opposes Charging Tolls on Straits Used for International Navigation
After Trump's post, a spokesman for the International Maritime Organization (IMO) stated: "We have noted the relevant remarks and are waiting for more details."
The spokesman said: "Our position on the fee issue has always been clear—the International Maritime Organization firmly opposes charging fees for passage through straits used for international navigation. Forcing toll collection solely for passing through the strait is legally untenable."
Media mentioned that shipping industry officials expressed concern over Trump's latest moves regarding fees, stating that according to their assessment, such measures would violate international law.
An industry official questioned when discussing Trump's remarks: "How exactly does this make navigation safer? And what kind of guarantees can it provide?"
Trump Has Notified Congress that Iran Hostilities Have Resumed
According to CCTV citing US side reports on Monday the 13th, Trump has formally notified Congress that Iran hostilities have resumed. In a letter to congressional leaders on the 10th, Trump wrote that the US military carried out "defensive strikes" against targets within Iran on the 7th.
It is reported that this letter has again intensified the dispute between Congress and the White House; although both houses of Congress had previously voted to require the President to end the war or seek approval before continuing actions, the White House insisted that Trump, as Commander-in-Chief, was acting within constitutional powers.
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