U.S. forces have redirected 12 vessels, disabled two, and boarded two to enforce the Iran blockade, most recently completing a verification boarding and disabling another ship attempting to breach it.

The U.S. naval blockade against Iran remains in full effect. As of July 25, CENTCOM has redirected 12 commercial vessels trying to run the blockade, disabled 2 that didn't comply, and boarded 2 to ensure total compliance.

Earlier today, U.S. forces completed a verification… pic.twitter.com/eyp1N2B9sO

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) July 25, 2026

The post WATCH: US forces verify oil tanker, disable another as Iran blockade continues appeared first on World Israel News.

U.S. forces pounded Iran for a sixth straight night, smashing air defenses, surveillance sites, and logistics hubs across the country—while Marines boarded a tanker in the Gulf of Oman as part of the ongoing naval blockade.

pic.twitter.com/rkioM37LA5

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) July 16, 2026

U.S. military:

"Today at 9:40 p.m. ET, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) completed its latest major wave of strikes against Iran.

U.S. forces, including fighter jets, aerial drones, and warships, launched precision munitions that hit dozens of Iranian military targets such as… pic.twitter.com/WsdjupHVCq

— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) July 17, 2026

U.S. Marines from the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit conduct a verification boarding aboard M/T Wen Yao in the Gulf of Oman, July 16.

As of today, American forces have redirected 3 commercial vessels trying to run the blockade, disabled 1 that didn’t comply, and boarded 1 to… pic.twitter.com/vbjArHuLaO

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) July 16, 2026

The post WATCH: US Marines board tanker in Gulf of Oman, conduct strikes across Iran appeared first on World Israel News.

A Curacao-flagged oil tanker, M/T Belma, was struck by U.S. Hellfire missiles after ignoring multiple warnings not to breach the ongoing naval blockade while attempting to sail toward Iran’s Kharg Island.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces have disabled the Curaçao-flagged tanker M/T Belma after the vessel ignored repeated warnings and continued toward Kharg Island, Iran's primary oil export terminal, in violation of the reimposed U.S. naval blockade.

According to CENTCOM, a… pic.twitter.com/M2EQpUPHxE

— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) July 15, 2026

U.S. military:

"U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) ended an evening wave of strikes against Iran at 9 p.m. ET on July 15.

U.S. forces struck Iranian command centers, air defense sites, missile and drone capabilities, and coastal surveillance facilities to further degrade Iran's… pic.twitter.com/6Bx5YZtAoP

— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) July 16, 2026

The post WATCH: US forces disable tanker violating the Hormuz blockade appeared first on World Israel News.

The president previously said passage through the Strait of Hormuz should be free of tolls.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

President Donald Trump said Monday that the United States will charge a 20% fee on all cargo shipped through the Strait of Hormuz and resume a blockade of Iranian ports near the waterway as the U.S. and Iran exchange new strikes.

Trump declared the United States the “guardian” of the major oil shipping route and said cargo moving through the strait would be subject to the new charge.

“The U.S.A. will be, from this point forward, known as ‘THE GUARDIAN OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT,’ but as such, and as a matter of FAIRNESS, will be reimbursed, at the rate of 20% on all cargo shipped, for any and all costs necessary to do the job of providing safety and security to this very volatile section of the World,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post Monday.

Oil prices rose and stocks declined following Trump’s announcement, which came as Washington and Tehran traded new strikes.

Trump also said the United States would restore its blockade of Iranian ports near the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. Central Command said the blockade will resume Tuesday at 4 p.m. EDT.

The president has previously said passage through the Strait of Hormuz should be free of tolls.

He has also raised the possibility of the United States collecting charges for traffic through the route.

The U.S. has opposed Iranian plans to collect tolls from ships traveling through the strait.

Maritime experts, regulators and senior Trump administration officials have said Iran’s proposed charges would violate international law.

Trump’s latest announcement places the United States in the role he described as providing safety and security in the Strait of Hormuz while seeking payment equal to 20% of the value of cargo shipped through the waterway.

The Strait of Hormuz has become the center of the rapidly escalating conflict between Washington and Tehran. The renewed blockade and Trump’s proposed cargo fee were announced as the two countries continued exchanging military strikes.

The post Trump announces 20% Hormuz cargo fee, renewed blockade of Iranian ports appeared first on World Israel News.

A previous naval blockade, imposed in April after the collapse of talks in Islamabad, was lifted in June when the memorandum of understanding ending the war was signed in Versailles.

By Gila Isaacson, JFeed

The United States Navy is expected to relaunch its naval blockade operation against Iran within hours, according to a report by Iran-focused analyst Babak Taghvaee, who cited unnamed U.S. government sources.

The report has not been confirmed by the Pentagon or Central Command.

According to the sources cited by Taghvaee, the renewed blockade would go further than earlier rounds, barring Iran not only from exporting petrochemical products and natural gas but also preventing commercial vessels from operating out of Iranian ports altogether.

The sources also said the operation would be paired with daily airstrikes against military targets inside Iran, under the Operation Epic Fury framework the United States has used since the war began in February.

The report surfaces at a moment when the ceasefire architecture between Washington and Tehran is already under severe strain.

The US military carried out a fresh wave of strikes against Iran on Tuesday and revoked the license that had allowed Iran to sell crude oil and petrochemical products after three tankers were struck in the Strait of Hormuz, including a Qatari liquefied natural gas carrier and a Saudi-flagged supertanker.

Central Command said the strikes were meant to impose heavy costs for what it called a clear violation of the ceasefire.

Iran has until July 17 to wind down any oil transactions under the revoked license.

Iran’s foreign ministry has condemned the American moves as a breach of the framework agreement that ended the war and warned it would take any measures it deems necessary to protect its national security.

A previous naval blockade was imposed in April after the collapse of talks in Islamabad and was lifted in June when the memorandum of understanding ending the war was signed in Versailles.

Given the pace at which the ceasefire has deteriorated over the past two days, a renewed blockade along the lines described in Taghvaee’s report would fit the broader trajectory, though it remains, for now, an unconfirmed single-source report rather than an official American announcement.

The post US Navy said to be preparing to relaunch full naval blockade of Iran appeared first on World Israel News.

American naval forces, however, will continue operating in the region as part of efforts to verify that the agreement is being carried out.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

U.S. Central Command announced Thursday that the United States has lifted its maritime blockade on Iran, ending restrictions on vessels traveling to and from Iranian ports while keeping American naval forces in the region to monitor implementation of the agreement.

In a statement released Thursday evening, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said all limitations on maritime traffic entering and departing Iranian ports and coastal areas had been removed.

U.S. military forces are no longer intercepting vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to or from Iranian ports.

According to the announcement, U.S. naval vessels will remain deployed in the area to ensure compliance with the agreement.

The decision reverses measures implemented roughly two months ago after President Donald Trump threatened maritime action during negotiations with Iran.

At the time, President Trump wrote on Truth Social: “Iran is not willing to give up its nuclear ambitions. Starting now, we will impose a blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, and we will blow up any Iranian who fires at us. We are prepared to finish off whatever remains of Iran.”

Following that statement, CENTCOM began enforcing restrictions on all maritime traffic entering and leaving Iranian ports. The measures applied to vessels of every nationality operating to or from Iranian ports and coastal regions.

The blockade covered all Iranian ports located in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.

A notice issued to mariners during the enforcement period warned that any vessel entering or departing the blockaded area without authorization could be subject to seizure, diversion from its course, or detention.

Neutral vessels could also be searched under the terms of the restrictions.

U.S. military authorities stated at the time that the measures would not interfere with the “innocent passage of neutral vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, to or from non-Iranian destinations.”

CENTCOM’s latest announcement formally ends the maritime restrictions. American naval forces, however, will continue operating in the region as part of efforts to verify that the agreement is being carried out.

The post CENTCOM announces US has lifted naval blockade on Iran appeared first on World Israel News.

U.S. aircraft struck the engine room of an oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman after the vessel allegedly violated the Iran blockade and ignored repeated warnings. The action marked the second tanker disabled in as many days as CENTCOM intensifies efforts to cut off Iranian oil exports.

The post WATCH: CENTCOM strikes another tanker violating Iran blockade appeared first on World Israel News.

U.S. Central Command struck a Botswana-flagged oil tanker bound for Iran’s Kharg Island with a Hellfire missile after its crew defied repeated warnings.

The post WATCH: CENTCOM strikes tanker violating naval blockade appeared first on World Israel News.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Saturday said that the naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz was “very much still in place.”

By JNS

American forces redirected 118 commercial vessels and disabled five as part of the naval blockade of Iranian ports, U.S. Central Command said on Sunday night.

The figure was up from 116 vessels redirected on Saturday, according to CENTCOM, as American forces continued enforcement operations under the blockade that began on April 13.

The U.S. military conducted what CENTCOM described as “self-defense strikes” on Iranian radar and command and control sites for drones in Goruk and the island of Qeshm over the weekend, it stated separately.

“The measured and deliberate strikes occurred on Saturday and Sunday in response to aggressive Iranian actions that included the shootdown of a U.S. MQ-1 drone that was operating over international waters,” according to the statement.

“U.S. fighter aircraft swiftly responded by eliminating Iranian air defenses, a ground control station, and two one-way attack drones that posed clear threats to ships transiting regional waters,” it added.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Saturday said that the naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz was “very much still in place,” as U.S. President Donald Trump was holding meeting at the White House for discussions on an agreement with the Islamic Republic.

“Any deal that the president is willing to make, he’s only going to make it if he believes it’s a great deal for our country and the security of the world,” said Hegseth.

“Only one president was willing to lay it out on the line and ensure after 47 years that Iran is not capable of having a nuclear weapon,” he continued.

“Those goalposts haven’t shifted at all, which is the expectation of the American people and what we’ve stated to Iran,” he added.

“So, in the middle of negotiations, the closer they come to that reality—both now and into the future—the closer we’re going to get to that kind of a deal.”

The post CENTCOM: US forces redirected 118 vessels, disabled five appeared first on World Israel News.

OPEC figures indicate that Iranian crude output in April 2026 dropped by 350,000 barrels per day compared to levels recorded before the launch of U.S.-Israel operations against the Islamic Republic on February 28, 2026.

By Dalga Khatinoglu, Middle East Forum

New shipping and energy market data indicate that Iran’s oil sector is facing its most severe disruption in years.

Not only has the transit of Iranian crude through regional waters effectively come to a halt over the past six weeks, but China—the Islamic Republic’s sole major oil customer—also has steadily reduced its purchases of Iranian crude.

According to data from commodity intelligence firm Kpler, China’s imports of Iranian oil fell sharply in recent months.

Deliveries in May 2026 are down 25 percent compared to April 2026 and 38 percent lower than in March 2026.

Chinese refiners are currently importing just over 1 million barrels per day of Iranian oil.

However, these shipments come not directly from Iranian export terminals, but instead from Iran’s floating storage reserves—crude oil stored aboard tankers anchored near China, Malaysia, Singapore, and other Asian waters.

Iran’s floating oil storage in Asian waters has itself dropped dramatically since the start of the U.S. naval blockade campaign against the Islamic Republic.

Kpler estimates that these offshore reserves have declined by roughly 33 million barrels, leaving Iran with around 89 million barrels of oil in floating storage.

Homayoun Falakshahi, a senior analyst at Kpler, warns that if the maritime pressure campaign against Iran continues, Tehran could run out of accessible oil supplies for delivery to China within 60–70 days.

The implications for Iran’s economy could be severe. According to data from Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Iran exported approximately 2 million barrels per day of crude oil, condensates, and refined petroleum products last year.

Meanwhile, statistics published by the Central Bank of Iran show that oil revenues accounted for roughly 65 percent of the country’s total exports—underscoring the economy’s deep dependence on hydrocarbon sales.

At the same time, Iran’s oil production is falling rapidly.

OPEC figures indicate that Iranian crude output in April 2026 dropped by 350,000 barrels per day compared to levels recorded before the launch of U.S.-Israel operations against the Islamic Republic on February 28, 2026.

Iranian production in April 2026 stood at approximately 2.85 million barrels per day.

Export infrastructure constraints are compounding the problem. Kpler shipping data show that oil loading activity at Iranian terminals has collapsed to just 640,000 barrels per day this month.

With tankers anchored near Iranian waters already nearing capacity and onshore storage facilities filling up, Tehran soon may have little choice but to slash production further.

Under such conditions, Iran could be forced to reduce crude output to near domestic consumption levels, estimated at roughly 1.7 million barrels per day.

Such a scenario would represent one of the sharpest contractions in Iranian oil production since the reimposition of U.S. sanctions under the Trump administration.

Yet Iran is not the only oil supplier struggling with weakening Chinese demand. Chinese refiners have broadly reduced crude imports in recent months as elevated global oil prices and slower industrial activity weigh on margins and consumption.

China’s overall crude imports in March and April fell by approximately 20 percent compared to earlier periods.

Russian oil exports to China also have been affected. Chinese customs data show that imports of Russian crude declined by 11 percent last month, falling to around 2.2 million barrels per day.

The turbulence extends beyond energy markets. Trade flows between China and Gulf Cooperation Council states also have experienced significant disruption.

Previously, Chinese exports to Arab countries in the region averaged between $13 billion and $14 billion per month. However, Chinese customs statistics indicate that this figure was cut roughly in half during March and April.

Iran’s non-oil trade with China has deteriorated even more dramatically. Bilateral non-energy commerce reportedly plunged by 70 percent over the same period, dropping to only around $200 million per month.

Meanwhile, trade between China and Israel has expanded unexpectedly, despite the broader regional turmoil.

Chinese customs data show that China’s trade with Israel last month was roughly 13 times larger than its non-oil trade with Iran.

During the first four months of this year, China’s imports from Israel surged by 62 percent to nearly $5.5 billion, while Chinese exports to Israel also increased by 4 percent, reaching a similar level.

The figures underscore how Beijing’s commercial priorities in the region are shifting even as its economic ties with Tehran come under mounting strain.

The post Iran’s oil production and exports enter a steep decline appeared first on World Israel News.

The tanker, identified as the Skywave, had been sanctioned by the United States in March over its alleged role in carrying Iranian oil.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

The United States overnight seized an Iran-linked oil tanker in the Indian Ocean as part of its campaign targeting vessels involved in transporting Iranian oil, according to a Wall Street Journal report citing three US officials, while President Trump said he had delayed planned military action against Iran to allow continued negotiations.

The tanker, identified as the Skywave, had been sanctioned by the United States in March over its alleged role in carrying Iranian oil.

Ship-tracking data showed the vessel west of Malaysia on Tuesday after passing through the Malacca Strait.

According to brokers and data from Lloyds List Intelligence, the tanker was likely loaded with more than one million barrels of crude oil at Iran’s Kharg Island in February.

The report said the seizure marked at least the third instance in which the United States intercepted an oil tanker tied to Iran-linked shadow fleet operations.

The actions were described as separate from the US blockade of Iranian ports operating in the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.

According to the report, the United States seized three oil tankers associated with Iranian oil shipments in the Indian Ocean in April and May 2026: the Tifani, Majestic X, and Skywave.

The developments came as President Trump said Monday that Gulf leaders had urged him to postpone renewed military operations against Iran while negotiations continued.

In a post on Truth Social, President Trump said the leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates had asked him to halt planned attacks on Iran during ongoing diplomatic contacts.

“This Deal will include, importantly, NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS FOR IRAN!” President Trump wrote.

Before announcing Monday that military action had been suspended, President Trump had been preparing what was described as a major operation against Iran.

He later said he chose to delay the action to allow an opportunity for a diplomatic agreement focused on preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

The post US seizes Iran-linked oil tanker in Indian Ocean, report says appeared first on World Israel News.

The coalition insists the mission would only become operational once a stable ceasefire is in place; it is not designed to force entry into a war zone.

By Gila Isaacson, JFeed

A coalition of more than 40 nations led by France and the United Kingdom is moving toward a formal escort mission in the Strait of Hormuz, with Bloomberg reporting that support is building among members, though significant divisions remain over how far the mission should go and whether it could drag participating nations into the broader US-Iran war.

The coalition met in Paris on May 11 to finalize early plans.

According to Bloomberg and Euronews, the mission’s planned capabilities include military escorts for commercial ships, demining operations to clear Iranian-laid naval mines, air policing, intelligence sharing, and radar coverage.

France has already moved its Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier to the Red Sea, where it is to be joined by vessels from partner nations, a deliberate signal that the coalition stands ready to act.

“The coalition wants to ensure this mission is not associated with the combatants, in this case, the US and Israel.”

Trump pushed NATO – and NATO moved

The coalition’s accelerated planning was driven in part by direct pressure from President Trump.

During NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte’s visit to the White House, Trump made clear his frustration with allied inaction and demanded a plan “within days.”

A NATO source told Euronews there was “real frustration from Trump” and that Rutte left with specific conclusions from the conversation.

Trump had previously demanded that NATO members and China help the US reopen the strait.

The mission’s legal framework remains unresolved.

A NATO mandate is considered unlikely because the coalition explicitly excludes the US and Israel—both parties to the conflict—in order to preserve the mission’s defensive character and political legitimacy.

A UN Security Council resolution has also been discussed but would be nearly impossible to achieve given that China and Russia already vetoed a Bahraini-drafted resolution on the strait in April.

Expanding the EU’s existing Operation Aspides mandate is another option under consideration.

What the mission would look like

The coalition insists the mission would only become operational once a stable ceasefire is in place; it is not designed to force entry into a war zone.

French President Emmanuel Macron has described it as a “strictly defensive mission” that would be “separate from the warring parties.”

According to Bloomberg, a French official confirmed the coalition is ready to begin escort operations the moment Iran agrees to a US proposal to end the war.

The participating countries include the bulk of NATO’s European members plus South Korea, Australia, and Japan.

However, naval capacity within the coalition is deeply uneven.

According to geopolitical analysts cited by Fox News, only the UK and France possess the naval assets genuinely capable of operating in a high-risk environment.

“Only England and France really have any type of naval power that could be helpful,” one analyst said, noting other European navies are too small for sustained operations of this complexity.

The risks

Even with broad political support, experts warn the mission carries serious dangers.

“There’s always the possibility we’ll be drawn into a broader conflict,” Ed Arnold, senior research fellow of European security at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), told Euronews.

Coordination under a unified rules of engagement framework is considered as important as the number of ships committed.

Iranian naval mines laid during the conflict remain a persistent hazard. And Iran has warned that any escort operation would constitute a ceasefire violation.

The Strait of Hormuz has been effectively closed to most international shipping since Iran shut it on March 2, 2026, in response to the US-Israel war.

The IRGC has boarded and attacked merchant ships, laid sea mines, and threatened to set fire to any non-approved vessel.

The US launched its own naval blockade of Iranian ports on April 13, creating a “dual blockade.”

The US briefly launched Project Freedom, a mission to escort stranded ships out of the Gulf, on May 4 before pausing it on May 6, citing diplomatic progress.

At least 17 merchant ships have been damaged, 7 abandoned, and 12 seafarers killed or missing since the crisis began.

The post 40-nation NATO mission to escort ships in Strait of Hormuz if blockade holds appeared first on World Israel News.

President Donald Trump, speaking on Sid Rosenberg’s radio show, said he is in no rush to decide what to do with Iran as the blockade slowly chokes the regime’s economic lifeline.

President Trump on Iran: We don’t have to rush anything. We have a blockade which allows them no money. It’s a very simple thing: we cannot let them have a nuclear weapon — because they’d use it. pic.twitter.com/4j2WxByLNu

— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) May 12, 2026

Q: Do you really feel that you can stop Iran from enriching uranium and ever building a bomb?

TRUMP: “100%. They’re going to stop, and they told me, the Iranians told me… they said that we’re going to get the dust.” pic.twitter.com/PkRjKxXIYi

— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) May 12, 2026

The post WATCH: Trump says he’s in ‘no rush’ regarding Iran appeared first on World Israel News.

The naval blockade is aimed at choking off the regime’s oil exports and commercial shipping.

By Joshua Marks, JNS

U.S. Central Command said on Sunday that more than 20 American warships are enforcing a naval blockade against Iran, with forces having redirected 61 commercial vessels and disabled four others to ensure compliance.

Washington launched the maritime operation on April 13, targeting all vessels entering or leaving Iranian ports in the Arabian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, disrupting the regime’s oil exports.

It is part of the Trump administration’s “Operation Economic Fury”—a sweeping pressure campaign targeting Tehran’s economy through sanctions enforcement and the naval blockade aimed at choking off the regime’s oil exports and commercial shipping.

Iran is continuing its internal repression as the economic screws tighten, with the judiciary-linked Mizan news agency reporting on Monday that a 29-year-old man convicted of spying for the United States and Israel has been executed.

The outlet identified him as Erfan Shakourzadeh and said he was hanged after being accused of passing classified information to the CIA and Mossad.

On May 4, authorities executed three men convicted of involvement in anti-government protests that rocked the country in December and January.

Iran has executed 190 people so far this year, according to the Oslo-based group Iran Human Rights.

“The economic pressure on Iran right now is increasing dramatically. Not only is their government in the country losing their main export revenues because of our blockade, but also the Economic Fury operation that we launched, starting just a few weeks ago, is collecting the monies of the corrupt IRGC leaders that they’ve squirreled away abroad,” U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright told the CBS news program “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on Sunday.

“What I can tell you is Operation Economic Fury is devastating the Iranian economy right now,” U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Mike Waltz told “Fox News Sunday” host Shannon Bream.

“Their currency is in free fall, their foreign currency reserves are near zero… you’re seeing our Gulf Arab allies not only completely aligned with us—standing with us diplomatically, economically, and militarily—but many of them often played both sides when it came to Iran.”

Waltz continued, “Iran has now shown its true colors and they are publicly saying thank God we are taking actions before Iran could hold the world hostage with a nuclear weapon,’ and we shouldn’t also discount the fact that you see the United Arab Emirates and even Israel working together with the Iron Dome system and other types of military cooperation. So we’re seeing the world align with us. Iran has shown its true colors.” Yet, he continued, U.S. President Donald Trump “is giving diplomacy a chance backed by our great U.S. military.”

Meanwhile, Trump said on “Full Measure with Sharyl Attkisson” on Sunday that the United States will at some point extract Iran’s enriched uranium, buried deep under rubble.

“We’ll get that at some point… We have it surveilled,” Trump said. “I did a thing called Space Force, and they are watching that… If anybody got near the place, we would know about it—and we’d blow them up.”

The Islamic regime is believed to possess 440 kilograms (970 pounds) of uranium enriched to 60% purity, a short technical step from weapons-grade (90%) and enough to theoretically produce up to 10 bombs.

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi told the Associated Press late last month that much of Iran’s highly enriched uranium is likely still at the Isfahan nuclear complex, one of three nuclear sites (Fordow and Natanz) bombed by the U.S. military on June 22, 2025 in “Operation Midnight Hammer,” toward the end of Israel’s 12-day war against Iran.

The IAEA believes roughly 200 kilograms (about 440 pounds) of the material is stored in tunnels at the Isfahan site, Grossi has said, according to the AP report.

The U.S. Space Force, established in 2019 as the newest branch of the armed forces under the Department of the Air Force, is tasked with protecting American and allied interests in space, with its personnel operating and defending critical systems such as GPS, satellite communications, and missile warning networks.

The post CENTCOM: Over 20 US warships enforcing blockade on Iran appeared first on World Israel News.

The US military said it struck two Iran-linked vessels attempting to enter an Iranian port, with a US fighter jet hitting their smokestacks and forcing them to turn back.

By Reuters and Algemeiner

A state of relative calm prevailed around the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, after days of sporadic flare-ups, as the United States waited for Iran’s response to its latest proposals to end more than two months of fighting and begin peace talks.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Friday that Washington expected a response within hours.

But a day later, there was no sign of movement from Tehran on the proposal, which would formally end the war before talks on more contentious issues, including Iran’s nuclear program.

With US President Donald Trump due to begin a long-awaited visit to China next week, there has been mounting pressure to draw a line under the conflict, which has thrown energy markets into turmoil and posed a growing threat to the world economy.

Recent days have seen the biggest flare-ups in fighting in and around the Strait of Hormuz since a ceasefire began a month ago, and the United Arab Emirates came under renewed attack on Friday.

CLASHES TEST CEASEFIRE

On Friday, there were sporadic clashes between Iranian forces and US vessels in the strait, Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency reported.

The Tasnim news agency later cited an Iranian military source saying the situation had calmed but warning more clashes were possible.

The US military said it struck two Iran-linked vessels attempting to enter an Iranian port, with a US fighter jet hitting their smokestacks and forcing them to turn back.

Tehran has largely blocked non-Iranian shipping through the strait since the war began with US-Israeli airstrikes across Iran on February 28.

Before the war, one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passed through the narrow waterway.

The US imposed a blockade on Iranian vessels last month.

But a CIA assessment indicated Iran would not suffer severe economic pressure from a US blockade of Iranian ports for about another four months, according to a US official familiar with the matter, raising questions over Trump’s leverage over Tehran in a conflict that has been unpopular with voters and US allies.

A senior intelligence official characterized as false the “claims” about the CIA analysis, which was first reported by The Washington Post.

Clashes extended beyond the waterway. The UAE said its air defenses engaged with two ballistic missiles and three drones from Iran on Friday, with three people sustaining moderate injuries.

Iran has repeatedly targeted the UAE and other Gulf states that host US military bases.

In what the UAE called a major escalation, Iran stepped up attacks this week in response to Trump’s announcement of “Project Freedom” to escort ships in the strait, which he paused after 48 hours.

Trump said on Thursday the ceasefire, announced on April 7, was still holding despite the flare-ups, while Iran accused the US of breaching it.

“Every time a diplomatic solution is on the table, the US opts for a reckless military adventure,” Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Friday.

US PURSUES DIPLOMACY, STEPS UP SANCTIONS

The US has found little international support in the conflict.

After meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Rubio questioned why Italy and other allies were not backing Washington’s efforts to reopen the strait, warning of a dangerous precedent if Tehran were allowed to control an international waterway.

Speaking in Stockholm, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said European countries shared the aim of stopping Iran from getting nuclear weapons and said they were working to bridge differences with Washington.

While pursuing diplomacy, the US also ratcheted up sanctions to pressure Iran.

Days before Trump travels to China to meet President Xi Jinping, the US Treasury on Friday announced sanctions against 10 individuals and companies, including several in China and Hong Kong, for aiding efforts by Iran’s military to secure weapons and raw materials used to build Tehran’s Shahed drones.

Treasury said in a statement it was prepared to act against any foreign company supporting illicit Iranian commerce and could impose secondary sanctions on foreign financial institutions including those connected to China’s independent oil refineries.

The post US, Iran no closer to ending war as Tehran’s response awaited appeared first on World Israel News.

Iran’s leadership has become increasingly radicalized, determined, and confident in its ability to outlast US political resolve.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

US intelligence assessments indicate Iran could withstand the American naval blockade for between two and four months before facing economic collapse while retaining much of its prewar missile capability, despite public claims by US and Israeli officials that Tehran’s arsenal has been severely degraded, according to a report by The Washington Post.

The report said US intelligence estimates Iran still possesses about 75% of its prewar inventory of mobile missile launchers and roughly 70% of its missile stockpile.

A US official cited by the newspaper said there is evidence Iran has reopened nearly all its underground storage facilities, repaired some damaged missiles and assembled additional missiles that were close to completion before the war began.

The intelligence assessment contrasts with statements by President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly described Iran’s missile capabilities as “decimated,” saying the country’s arsenal had fallen to only about 18 to 19% of its previous level.

Despite the intelligence findings regarding Iran’s remaining military capabilities, senior US officials told the newspaper the blockade was causing severe economic damage.

“The president’s blockade is inflicting real, compounding damage — severing trade, crushing revenue, and accelerating systemic economic collapse,” a senior US intelligence official told The Washington Post.

“Iran’s military has been badly degraded, its navy destroyed, and its leaders are in hiding,” the official added.

“What’s left is the regime’s appetite for civilian suffering — starving its own people to prolong a war it has already lost,” the official said.

Another US official told the newspaper that Iran may be more capable of surviving sustained economic pressure than even CIA estimates suggest.

According to the official, Iran’s leadership has become increasingly radicalized, determined and confident in its ability to outlast US political resolve while maintaining internal repression to suppress resistance inside the country.

The official also compared Iran to other governments that survived for years despite heavy sanctions and prolonged air campaigns.

The post CIA says Iran could withstand blockade for months; intelligence says missile arsenal remains largely intact appeared first on World Israel News.