What to know about Trump's Iran blockade and the Strait of Hormuz

The United States’ plan to blockade Iranian ports and marine traffic has sent oil prices surging, as the countries reignited their tussle over the crucial Strait of Hormuz after peace talks ended without a deal

The United States’ plan to blockade Iranian ports and marine traffic has sent oil prices surging, as the countries reignited their tussle over the crucial Strait of Hormuz after peace talks ended without a deal.

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American forces began enforcing the blockade at 10 a.m. ET Monday after President Donald Trump vowed to block “any and all Ships from trying to enter, or leave” the strait, which he had spent weeks pressuring Tehran to reopen.

The current two-week ceasefire came into force after Trump threatened to obliterate the “whole civilization” of Iran if it did not reopen the waterway, through which some 20% of the world’s oil passes.