Iran targets shipping in Strait of Hormuz amid continued US strikes

Key Points:

• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Iran that any attack on Israel would provoke a significantly stronger response than previous conflicts, emphasizing heightened Israeli preparedness amid escalating tensions.
• Iran declared the strategic Strait of Hormuz closed following increased US-Iran hostilities, though the US and its allies maintain the waterway remains open for international shipping, with the US planning to resume a naval blockade of Iranian ports.
• Two tankers were reportedly struck by missiles in the Strait of Hormuz, with Iran claiming to have targeted vessels violating its designated routes, escalating risks to a critical global oil transit route that handles about one-fifth of the world's crude exports.
• The US announced plans to charge commercial shippers a 20% fee for protection through the Strait of Hormuz, a move condemned by Iran and international bodies as contrary to international law, while global oil prices surged sharply in response to the heightened conflict.
• The UK designated Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a national security threat, criminalizing support for the group and signaling increased Western measures amid the intensifying US-Iran confrontation and regional instability.