Blockade

Activists from Spain, Poland, Italy, Argentina, Uruguay, Portugal, Tunisia, and the USA attempted to cross a checkpoint at Sirte on their way to Gaza, but were allegedly arrested by security forces.

Trump said the Iran blockade will remain until a deal is signed, as Tehran claimed control over the Strait of Hormuz was needed for security.

With Iran now in de facto control of the strait, the system can involve government-to-government arrangements, intense vetting by the Iranian government, and sometimes fees in exchange for passage.

Ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz now face tolls and strict Iranian oversight as Tehran launches the Persian Gulf Strait Authority, with JPMorgan forecasting 11‑figure annual revenue from tolls.

Shipping giants CMA CGM and Hapag-Lloyd have suspended all bookings to and from Cuba until further notice, they said separately on Sunday, with both citing a US executive order issued on May 1.

A new operation name could allow the Trump administration to distinguish renewed strikes from Operation Epic Fury, NBC reported.

Iranian lawmakers have said they are drafting a bill to formalize Iran's management of the Strait of Hormuz, with clauses including forbidding passage to vessels of "hostile states."

The U.S. imposed sanctions on Thursday on Iraq's deputy oil minister and militias over support for Iran, the Treasury Department said.

“The leadership has gotten more radical, determined, and increasingly confident they can outlast US political will and sustain domestic repression to check any resistance,” one US official said.

The vessel's commission suggests that Iran’s energy sector and oil storage capacity are facing a crisis, as the US Navy continues to block the passage of tankers carrying Iranian oil out of the Gulf.