Trump orders 20% Hormuz cargo fee as US widens strikes on Iran
Why it matters: Oil jumped more than 9%, and the new US blockade of Iranian ports is set to resume Tuesday afternoon.
President Donald Trump moved to charge a 20% fee on cargo passing through the Strait of Hormuz and said the United States would act as the waterway’s “guardian” as US forces stepped up attacks on Iran. Trump also ordered a renewed blockade of Iranian ports near the strait, with US Central Command saying it would resume Tuesday afternoon. The escalation came as the United Arab Emirates reported Iranian missile strikes on two tankers in Omani waters, killing one crew member and wounding eight others. The strait had carried about 20% of global oil trade before the war disrupted traffic, and oil prices surged while stocks fell after Trump’s move. Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, mocked the toll plan and said Tehran controls the strait.