Trump’s Cease-Fire Effectively Collapses as He Vows to Restart Blocka…

Trump Orders Reinstatement of Naval Blockade and 20 Percent Shipping Tolls in Strait of Hormuz After Notifying Congress of Resumed Strikes

President Trump on Monday directed the reinstatement of a naval blockade on vessels traveling to or from Iranian ports and announced that the United States would charge a 20 percent toll on all cargo transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The actions followed his formal notification to Congress that active U.S. strikes against Iranian targets had resumed after several days of exchanges.

The Strait of Hormuz carries roughly one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments. Iran had previously threatened to impose tolls or restrict passage through the waterway, prompting statements from U.S. officials that such measures would violate international law. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said last month that “no country is allowed to charge tolls or fees on an international waterway” and that the practice was one “we will never be able to accept.”

Mr. Trump’s announcement reversed that stated position. In a social-media post, he wrote that the United States would act as “the guardian of the Hormuz Strait” and would collect the fees “as a matter of fairness” to cover costs of maintaining security. He did not specify a duration for the tolls or detail how the new policy would be administered differently from the measures Iran had proposed.

The White House did not respond to questions about the change in position. Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, responded on social media that “whoever provides secure and safe passage of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz should be compensated for this service,” adding that Iran had “always been the guardian of the Strait” and that a 20 percent rate “is of course too much.”

U.S. Central Command stated that enforcement of the blockade would begin late Tuesday local time. The command also reported a third night of strikes on Iranian targets, including missile launch sites, air defenses, maritime assets, and command facilities. Mr. Trump, in a radio interview, said strikes would continue and described Pickaxe Mountain, a site near the Natanz enrichment facility, as a possible target.

A letter sent to Congress on Friday and released Monday stated that the strikes, which began July 7, were “limited” and “measured.” Both chambers of Congress have passed resolutions under the War Powers Act calling for an end to operations or for explicit legislative authorization. The administration has maintained that the president retains authority to conduct the operations without additional approval.

Oil prices rose and major stock indexes declined following the blockade and toll announcements. Several Republican members of Congress have expressed concern about economic effects and have urged greater attention to domestic issues ahead of the midterm elections.

The International Maritime Organization, a United Nations agency, adopted a resolution on Monday reaffirming that passage through the strait “should remain free of any tolls and charges, in accordance with international law.” Energy companies and shipping firms began assessing the financial impact of the new U.S. fees.

The current conflict began in February when the United States opened military operations against Iran. A cease-fire agreement reached later described Iran’s obligations regarding commercial vessels as “make arrangements using its best efforts for the safe passage,” language Iran has cited as recognizing its role in the waterway. Mr. Trump said in the radio interview that the agreement was a memorandum of understanding that “don’t mean much” and characterized it as a test that Iran had failed.

Analysts noted that the U.S. decision to impose fees removes a prior point of distinction between the two sides’ positions on the strait. Robert Kagan of the Brookings Institution said the move undercuts earlier arguments that Iran lacked the right to charge for passage. Iranian officials have continued to assert that they will remain responsible for security in the strait.

Mr. Trump has authorized additional strikes while stating that talks with Iran would continue. No new diplomatic framework has been announced. The administration has not detailed how the blockade and toll system will be enforced or how revenue will be collected and allocated.

The sequence of events leaves both the military and economic dimensions of the conflict unresolved, with shipping costs and energy prices now subject to the new U.S. policy in addition to the effects of ongoing strikes.