President Donald Trump announced that the US Navy will immediately blockade the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most critical oil transit chokepoints. Roughly 20 percent of global petroleum supply passes through the strait daily, making any disruption a direct price shock mechanism for energy markets worldwide. The announcement, attributed directly to Trump, provides no accompanying detail on legal authority, allied coordination, or rules of engagement. A naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz would constitute a significant escalation in US posture toward Iran, which borders the waterway and has repeatedly threatened to close it during periods of heightened tension. Energy traders, shipping insurers, and Gulf state governments will treat even an unconfirmed or partial implementation as a material risk event. Immediate watch points include Brent crude price movement, tanker insurance premiums in the Persian Gulf, and whether allied navies or regional partners confirm participation or opposition to the operation.
Iranian armed forces attacked a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, briefly halting traffic through the waterway. The strike threatens a fragile US-Iran arrangement and could push shipping insurance costs and oil prices higher.
The US has struck Iran, with President Trump citing an Iranian attack on a ship in the Strait of Hormuz as justification. The action raises immediate risks for global oil flows through one of the world's most critical shipping chokepoints.
The US struck ten Iranian targets on the second consecutive day of military action, putting a fragile ceasefire under serious pressure. The escalation raises immediate risks for Gulf shipping, global oil supply, and regional stability.
Venezuela's twin earthquakes, magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, have killed at least 164 people and injured 971, interim president Delcy Rodriguez confirmed Thursday. The quakes are the country's strongest since 1900, collapsing buildings across Caracas and prompting a state of emergency, with the death toll expected to rise as
