US Iran War News Highlights: US military to begin enforcing Iran maritime blockade from Tuesday

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Oil prices surged more than 9% on Monday, hitting a one-month high amid news that the US naval blockade on Iran, set to begin on Tuesday.

Brent crude settled up $7.29 (9.59%) at $83.30 a barrel.

US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude settled up $6.73 (9.42%) at $78.14 a barrel.

"We are aware of the post and awaiting more details," a spokesperson with the U.N.'s International Maritime Organization said.

"We have always been consistent on our stance on fees – IMO stands firmly against charging fees for passage through straits used for international navigation. There is no legal basis through which to introduce mandatory tolls simply to transit through a strait."

US military to begin enforcing maritime blockade on Iran from Tuesday, according to the US Navy-led Joint Maritime Information Center.

The blockade marks a major escalation in US maritime operations amid heightened tensions with Iran.

The move comes as the Strait of Hormuz remains at the center of the US-Iran standoff over shipping and navigation.

Iran and Oman will continue political and technical discussions on the management of Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said.

Araghchi said he met Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Bousaidi during his brief visit to Muscat, Oman.

The meeting included legal and technical teams from both countries to discuss coordination between the two coastal states of the Strait of Hormuz.

Araghchi said the talks focused on managing the waterway, without providing further details on possible measures or agreements.

A growing number of vessels are crossing the Strait of Hormuz with their transponders switched off, making "dark crossings" more common, Bloomberg report said.

All six commodity carriers that transited the strait on Sunday turned off their tracking systems, according to Kpler data analyzed by Bloomberg.

Covert transits exceeded observable crossings over the previous three days.

Shipowners are switching off transponders as the US and Iran exchange attacks and dispute control over the Strait of Hormuz.

Oil prices rose sharply on Monday following renewed military tensions in the Middle East.

Brent crude climbed 4.5% to $79.41 per barrel.

The rally came after both the US and Iran claimed control of the Strait of Hormuz.

Fighting in the region has disrupted oil tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.

Brent crude briefly approached $80 per barrel after President Donald Trump's latest announcement.

Trump said the US was reinstating a blockade on Iranian ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

He also proposed a 20% charge on all cargo transiting the waterway to reimburse the US for providing security.

Trump wrote on Truth Social: "The Hormuz Strait is OPEN, and will remain OPEN, with or without Iran. We are reinstating the THE IRANIAN BLOCKADE, so named because it is only stopping Iran’s ships or customers from entering or leaving. All other countries will have fair and open use of the Strait. 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. The process and formation will begin immediately."

Oil prices climbed sharply after a weekend of military attacks in the Middle East.

Brent crude rose more than 3% early Monday amid escalating US-Iran tensions.

The rally came after both the United States and Iran claimed control of the Strait of Hormuz.

Brent crude, the global benchmark, surged nearly 5% at one point before falling.

By midday in Europe, Brent crude was up 3.4% ($2.58) at $77.72 per barrel.

US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude gained 3.5% ($2.48) to $72.92 per barrel.

Iran said it will not allow the United States to intervene in the management of the Strait of Hormuz.

The statement was issued by Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, Iran's top joint military command.

Tehran warned that any US attempt to manage or arrange transit through the strait without Iran's approval would be rejected.

Iran said all vessel movements must follow routes designated by Tehran.

The military said any transit without coordination with Iran's armed forces would face strong resistance.

The statement was published by Iranian state media on Monday.

The UK government plans to ban Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) under new national security legislation.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said anyone supporting or assisting designated groups could face up to 14 years in prison.

The proposed law will be introduced in Parliament this week.

The legislation will also target Russia's GRU military intelligence proxies and the Islamic Movement of Companions of the Right (IMCR), an Iran-linked group.

IMCR has claimed responsibility for multiple attacks on Jewish properties in London, including an arson attack on four Hatzola charity ambulances.

The law gives the UK government "proscription-like" powers to designate foreign state proxies as national security threats.

An Iranian aircraft carrying a Houthi delegation returning from Tehran landed in Yemen on Monday, according to the rebels, despite earlier claims by Yemen’s government that it had targeted Sanaa airport to stop the plane from arriving, reported AFP.

Houthi-affiliated broadcaster al-Masirah quoted the group’s transport minister as saying that “the Iranian plane has landed on the homeland's soil, carrying a number of medical patients and stranded citizens, accompanied by the official delegation of the Republic of Yemen”.

US President Donald Trump said the United States would take charge of the Strait of Hormuz and act as its “guardian”, amid escalating tensions with Iran.

Trump claimed that a previous agreement had been reached with Tehran but was later violated, while asserting that the US would oversee security in the strategically important waterway.

UK summoned Iranian ambassador, as per Reuters.

Britain has declared Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation

Britain’s government on Monday took action against Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and another Iran-affiliated organisation following a series of antisemitic incidents on UK streets, as per Reuters.

The measures were introduced using powers similar to proscription laws aimed at addressing threats allegedly backed by foreign states.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) fired on two ships trying to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iranian state television.

The reported incident comes as Iran and the United States remain locked in a confrontation over control of the strategically important waterway.

“This morning, two ships that were attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz illegally were targeted and stopped by warning shots fired by the navy of the Revolutionary Guards,” said a journo based near the strait, as per Al Jazeera.

US missiles struck three locations in the city of Abadan, located in Iran’s western Khuzestan province, as per Al Jazeera.

Iran’s Mehr news agency, citing the deputy governor, said the attack occurred at around 1:45 pm local time (09:45 GMT).

The agency reported that at least two unidentified people were killed and three others sustained injuries in the strikes.

Bahrain's military said its air defence systems successfully intercepted Iranian missile and drone attacks, accusing Tehran of deliberately targeting civilians and private property.

In a statement, the military said all armed forces units had been placed on high alert to safeguard the kingdom. Authorities also advised the public to stay away from any suspicious debris and report it to the relevant agencies immediately.

European shares slipped slightly as investors reacted to rising tensions between the United States and Iran, as per Al Jazeera.

The pan-European STOXX 600 index fell 0.09% to 640.54 by 08:40 GMT, following its steepest weekly decline since late April recorded on Friday.

The renewed escalation has cast doubt over the durability of an interim agreement reached last month that was intended to restore navigation through the strategically important strait and create momentum for further negotiations between Tehran and Washington.