US resumes blockade of Iranian ports after Trump scraps Strait of Hormuz toll

Neena Mae Rayos, Philippine Canadian Inquirer
July 15, 2026

(Photo Courtesy: Altaf Qadri | IG)

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump has abandoned his proposal for a 20% fee on all cargo transiting the Strait of Hormuz, opting instead to secure “massive” trade and investment agreements with Gulf nations to fund US protection of the waterway.

US Central Command has conducted multiple strikes for the past few days while Iran retaliated by striking US facilities in Bahrain and Jordan and hitting UAE tankers.

Trump stated the fee was unfair after consulting with Gulf leaders, asserting now that the waterway remains open to all traffic except Iran and that oil flow has been restored by US military power.

The renewed conflict has severely disrupted global energy markets, with tanker traffic through the strategic strait—through which roughly 25% of the world’s oil and 20% of its liquefied natural gas previously passed—dropping to a two-month low and driving a sharp spike in Brent Crude prices.

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister argued that the US blockade effectively dismantled a prior truce agreement, noting that Tehran maintains its claim to control the strait.

The US blockade was first implemented in April and temporarily lifted in June under a memorandum of understanding and has once again become a central point of contention.

Amidst these escalations, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a stark warning to Iran’s leadership, stating that any attack on Israel would trigger a retaliation far more powerful than previous responses.