All articles tagged with #us blockade
Iran says the Strait of Hormuz is shut, but U.S. officials say roughly 9 million barrels per day are still exiting the Gulf through Hormuz, with another 4–7 million via pipelines, totaling about 15 million bpd in global flows—well below the pre-war 20 million bpd. The figures are disputed, as
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth declined to pin a concrete reopening date for the Strait of Hormuz, saying the blockade would begin to lift “immediately” after a memorandum of understanding with Iran is signed but the full timeline may take days to weeks; the remarks underscore ongoing tensions as Iran blocks ships and the U.S. presses for a deal, while regional developments and related strikes add uncertainty to the process.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio pressed India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to ensure all commercial vessels immediately comply with US orders in the Strait of Hormuz, warning that violations of the US blockade and illicit Iranian oil shipments will not be tolerated, as India protested the killing of three Indian mariners in a US strike near the Gulf of Oman.
The US attacked the Palau-flagged tanker Settebello in the Gulf of Oman for allegedly violating a blockade by attempting to transport Iranian oil, leaving three Indian sailors missing and 21 rescued. Centcom says eight vessels have been disabled and 134 redirected since the blockade began on April 13. India summoned the US deputy envoy in Delhi as tensions rise over attacks on civilian shipping; a prior incident also involved a Palau-flagged tanker with an Indian crew.
ISW and CTP report Iran is formalizing a toll system framed as maritime insurance to cement control over the Strait of Hormuz while promoting overland/rail routes through China, Pakistan, and Iraq—routes unlikely to match Gulf shipping in volume. Iran signals negotiations with PRC/Japan/Pakistan and possibly Europe, though access for the US-led Project Freedom remains restricted; CENTCOM says 78 ships redirected and four interdicted to enforce the blockade. Israel–Lebanon talks continue on Hezbollah’s status, but major disagreements persist. Overall, Iran uses incentives and coercion to normalize strait control amid ongoing Western diplomacy and regional talks.
Cuba says it has run out of diesel and fuel oil, pushing the national grid into a critical state and triggering severe blackouts in Havana as the US blockade hinders fuel imports. The energy minister says the country has no reserves and must rely on domestic crude, natural gas and renewables, with solar capacity limited by grid instability. Cuba is seeking fuel from abroad despite global price pressures; Mexico and Venezuela have not supplied fuel since early 2026, and only one large tanker, the Anatoly Kolodkin, has delivered crude since December. The UN has condemned the blockade as unlawful, citing harm to Cubans’ access to development, health, and basic services.
The US blockade has slashed fuel and crippled Havana's waste collection, forcing open-air burning of rubbish and creating toxic smoke, flies and disease risks (notably chikungunya and hepatitis). Doctors warn of worsening public health as the city relies on limited incineration points and a massive landfill, with a new recycling drive and other measures attempting to avert a broader crisis.
The analysis explains how the US blockade and tightening sanctions threaten Iran's oil sector, potentially curbing exports, shrinking government revenue, and impacting global energy markets as Tehran seeks new buyers and navigates sanctions evasion.
Iran proposed reopening the Strait of Hormuz if the U.S. lifts its blockade, using the offer to pause Tehran’s nuclear talks amid a broader standoff that has disrupted oil flows and drawn European and UN concern, though Washington is unlikely to accept the proposal.
Iran says it will keep restricting ships through the Strait of Hormuz as long as the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports remains in place, complicating mediators’ efforts to extend a two-week ceasefire. With roughly one-fifth of global oil trade passing through the strait, the move risks deepening the energy crisis and sparking renewed fighting, even as Pakistan-led talks seek a new round of negotiations.
Iran reversed a brief reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and fired on vessels, reasserting control under military authority as the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports remains in force, triggering concerns about oil prices and global energy security while Pakistan leads efforts to broker a new round of talks ahead of a mid-next-week ceasefire expiring.
Iran reversed its reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and opened fire on ships, saying traffic will remain under military control while the U.S. blockade continues, threatening global oil flows as mediators from Pakistan seek to restart talks amid a fragile ceasefire.
Iran has reimposed restrictions on the Strait of Hormuz after briefly signaling openness, with IRGC gunboats firing on a tanker and several vessels turning back. The move comes amid the US-led blockade of Iranian ports and ongoing diplomacy, including Pakistan-mediated talks and discussions at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, as global shipping remains unsettled and oil markets watch for further developments.
Iran reversed its brief reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, announcing it will again block transit as long as the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports remains in effect; the U.S. says 23 ships have turned back and a tanker was hit in the strait as gunboats fired on vessels, with Tehran vowing strict management of the chokepoint amid ongoing diplomacy and ceasefire dynamics that could influence global oil markets.
The US-led blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has dramatically reduced traffic, with maritime data showing a sharp slowdown since late February. Between March 1 and April 15, 388 commodity carriers crossed the strait (255 oil/gas tankers), but only 16 commodity vessels have crossed since the blockade began; about 670 vessels west of the strait have signalled they’re stuck, including 332 oil or gas tankers, and more than 55 VLCCs are stuck in the Gulf, underscoring how the conflict is choking global shipping and raising fertilizer and energy-security costs.