The US struck Iran for a third consecutive night early Tuesday. President Donald Trump reinstated a naval blockade and proposed charging a 20% tariff on cargo moving through the Strait of Hormuz.
United States Central Command said the latest attacks targeted Iranian military infrastructure and aimed to reduce Tehran’s ability to strike civilians and commercial shipping. However, the military did not immediately publish a complete target count for the third night.
Trump announced the blockade on Monday, July 13, through Truth Social. He said the United States would become the “guardian” of the waterway. Additionally, the US would seek reimbursement equal to 20% of cargo value for providing safe passage.
The US Navy-led Joint Maritime Information Center said enforcement would begin at 8 p.m. GMT on Tuesday. This is equivalent to 1 a.m. Pakistan Standard Time on Wednesday. The blockade covers Iranian ports, oil terminals and coastal areas. Meanwhile, neutral ships travelling to non-Iranian destinations would not be stopped.
The renewed attacks followed an Iranian missile strike on two United Arab Emirates tankers in Omani territorial waters.The UAE Ministry of Defence said cruise missiles struck the Mombasa and Al Bahiyah, killing one Indian crew member and injuring eight others, four of them seriously.
Yesterday, using multiple one-way attack surface drones, CENTCOM forces successfully struck a submarine and ship maintenance facility in Iran. Three Corsair unmanned surface vessels hit the port at Bandar Abbas Naval Base, marking the first time American forces have employed sea… pic.twitter.com/bOM2kmgRxz
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) July 13, 2026Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said US interference in the strait would face resistance. They also maintained that Tehran would continue exercising authority over the waterway.
Read: US strikes Iran as Hormuz Standoff Raises War Fears
The International Maritime Organization has stated that international law provides no basis for any country to impose tolls, fees or discriminatory conditions on vessels merely transiting an international strait. Furthermore, it has also condemned attacks that place civilian seafarers at risk.
Brent crude rose above USD 82 a barrel on July 13. The renewed fighting increased concerns about shipping and energy supplies through the strait.
