US widens Iran blockade, strikes after Qeshm blasts

· Security · United States · Iran

The US military said its naval blockade of Iran has stopped Tehran from exporting more than $25 billion in crude oil, and it is creating a special unit, Task Force Iron Gate, to block land routes Iran uses to transport weapons and dual-use technology and to constrain its Caspian Sea trade. President Donald Trump said the US carried out another round of 'minor' strikes on Iran, targeting an air defence system, after Iranian media reported two missiles hit Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran says its forces are 'stronger' than at the start of the war and that it controls the Strait of Hormuz, which stays closed until its demands are met. The US offered a reward for information on Iran's nuclear programme.

Why it matters：The widening blockade and continued strikes keep the Gulf on a war footing, with global oil flows and shipping through Hormuz at stake.

Key points

  • The blockade has halted more than $25 billion in Iranian crude exports, the US military says.
  • Task Force Iron Gate targets land routes and dual-use technology flows.
  • Iran says the Strait of Hormuz remains closed until its demands are met.

Sources (original reporting)

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