Blockade

Economic pressure can buy Israel time. Mistaking it for a strategy would squander it - opinion

A blockade would impose real costs on Tehran and make Israel safer. But weakening Iran is not the same as toppling the regime. It is the difference between buying time and solving the problem.

 People wave flags next to an Iranian missile on display during the 46th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution in Tehran, Iran, February 10, 2025.
US President Donald Trump listens to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speak ahead of the launch of Trump investment accounts in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on July 6, 2026.

What are Trump's options as he seeks to pile more economic pressure on Iran? - explainer

A satellite image of Kharg Island, Iran, before US strikes, February 25, 2026.

Iranian oil exports come to a halt amid renewed US blockade - report

Houthi activists stand on a platform against a banner depicting Houthi missiles, at an anti-Saudi rally amid an escalation with the kingdom, in Sanaa, Yemen, July 31, 2026.

Yemen's Houthis say they hit Saudi target at Najran airport


Ships seized by Iran taken to Bandar Abbas as countries check on sailors' wellbeing

The IRGC seized the ships on Wednesday, with both crews reported as safe, as their home countries actively seek their return.

US forces patrol the Arabian Sea near M/V Touska on April 20, 2026, after firing upon the Iranian-flagged vessel that the U.S. accused of attempting to violate the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports near the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran, Hezbollah ceasefires need enforcement, not just declarations, to sustain calm - editorial

Trump’s strategy mixes ceasefire and economic pressure on Iran, as Israel confronts rising threats from Hezbollah on the northern border.

Iranians walk past an anti-USA and anti-Israel mural, in Tehran on April 21 2026, amid a ceasefire in the region.

Senator Lindsey Graham speaks to Trump, Hegseth on 'way forward' in Iran conflict

The South Carolina Republican described the discussion's focus as "the way forward regarding the Iran conflict," while also warning countries against assisting Iran's oil distribution efforts.

US Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), the Chairman of the Senate Budget Commission speaks during a Senate Committee on the Budget hearing to examine the President's fiscal year 2027 budget proposal in Capitol Hill on April 16, 2026 in Washington, DC.

Strait of Hormuz traffic falls to single digits as security fears keep ships stuck

As a ceasefire lowers the risk of direct escalation, movement through Hormuz remains weak, with experts warning that the immediate problem is maritime security, not the lack of pipeline plans.

Maps4Media processed and enhanced Sentinal-2 satellite imagery shows a broad view of the Strait of Hormuz between southern Iran and Oman's Musandam Peninsula.

US planning to seize Iran-linked ships in coming days, WSJ says - report

The potential US military action comes as Iran tightens its grip on the Strait of Hormuz, including attacking several ships earlier on Saturday.

US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine speaks as a map of the Strait of Hormuz is displayed during a press briefing at the Pentagon in Washington, DC, on April 16, 2026.

Trump announces he will have updates on Iran ‘by the end of today'

Trump said on Friday that he may end the ceasefire with Iran unless a long-term deal to end the war is agreed upon by Wednesday.

US President Donald Trump speaks to members of the press aboard Air Force One on April 17, 2026 just prior to landing at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland.

US renews Russian oil waiver after pressure from countries dealing with Iran war price shocks

The Treasury Department's waiver lets countries purchase Russian oil and petroleum products loaded on vessels as of Friday through May 16.

An aerial view shows the oil tanker named Boracay (also called Pushpa), a vessel being investigated by French authorities and suspected of belonging to the so-called "shadow fleet" involved in the Russian oil trade, off the coast of the western France port of Saint-Nazaire, France, October 2, 2025

Five tankers seen loading oil on Iran's Kharg Island, as US blockades Strait of Hormuz - report

Another five tankers, loaded with approximately 9 million barrels of oil, were spotted in the Gulf of Oman earlier this week and are no longer visible in the images.

An LPG gas tanker at anchor as traffic is down in the Strait of Hormuz, amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Shinas, Oman, March 11, 2026.

Iran’s economy could collapse within three months under naval blockade, experts warn

An expert on Iran's military noted that Iranian authorities have previously declared that if they are denied access to their ports, they will prevent other countries in the region from using theirs.

SCREENSHOT FROM a video released by Iranian media showing an encounter between the IRGC Navy and a US warship in the Strait of Hormuz, which they claim withdrew from the area after receiving a warning.

Iraq turns to Syria for oil exports after Hormuz disruptions from US blockade

Iraq is rerouting oil exports through Syria’s Baniyas terminal as its maritime oil shipments face disruptions due to the Iranian and US blockades of the Strait of Hormuz.

Luojiashan tanker sits anchored in Muscat, as Iran vows to close the Strait of Hormuz, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Muscat, Oman, March 7, 2026.