Trump claims he will reinstate Iranian blockade and US will charge fee for ships crossing strait of Hormuz – Middle East crisis live

The Guardian reports that US President Donald Trump says he will reinstate a blockade on Iran and impose a fee on ships crossing the strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping lane for global oil. Trump said the strait will remain open "with or without" Iran, and that a twenty percent rate would be charged on all cargo shipped through it. The announcement comes amid an escalating conflict, with the US launching a new wave of attacks on Iran after Tehran declared diplomacy "futile." Bahrain's military, meanwhile, has accused Iran of targeting civilians, saying its air defenses intercepted a number of Iranian missiles and drones this morning.

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