{"id":36017,"date":"2026-07-13T20:08:27","date_gmt":"2026-07-14T00:08:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/u-s-to-charge-tolls-in-strait-of-hormuz-reimpose-iran-blockade-trump-says\/"},"modified":"2026-07-13T20:08:27","modified_gmt":"2026-07-14T00:08:27","slug":"u-s-to-charge-tolls-in-strait-of-hormuz-reimpose-iran-blockade-trump-says","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/u-s-to-charge-tolls-in-strait-of-hormuz-reimpose-iran-blockade-trump-says\/","title":{"rendered":"U.S. to Charge Tolls in Strait of Hormuz, Reimpose Iran Blockade, Trump Says"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Welcome back to World Brief, where we\u2019re looking at new U.S.<\/strong> plans for the Strait of Hormuz<\/strong>, Houthi<\/strong> allegations against Saudi Arabia<\/strong>, and the European Union<\/strong> cracking down on minors\u2019 social media access.<\/p>\n

The Guardian of Hormuz<\/h3>\n

For months, the United States has cited Iran\u2019s claims over the Strait of Hormuz, including Tehran\u2019s vow to impose tolls on commercial ships, as a reasoning for continued war. \u201cIt\u2019s an international waterway,\u201d U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio<\/a> said last month. \u201cNo country is allowed to charge tolls or fees on an international waterway. That\u2019s existing international law.\u201d<\/p>\n

Welcome back to World Brief, where we\u2019re looking at new U.S.<\/strong> plans for the Strait of Hormuz<\/strong>, Houthi<\/strong> allegations against Saudi Arabia<\/strong>, and the European Union<\/strong> cracking down on minors\u2019 social media access.<\/p>\n

The Guardian of Hormuz<\/h3>\n

For months, the United States has cited Iran\u2019s claims over the Strait of Hormuz, including Tehran\u2019s vow to impose tolls on commercial ships, as a reasoning for continued war. \u201cIt\u2019s an international waterway,\u201d U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio<\/a> said last month. \u201cNo country is allowed to charge tolls or fees on an international waterway. That\u2019s existing international law.\u201d<\/p>\n

On Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump flipped the script<\/a>, vowing to establish U.S. control over the strategic thoroughfare and charge all cargo vessels a steep toll for access.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe U.S.A. will be, from this point forward, known as \u2018THE GUARDIAN OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT,\u2019\u201d Trump wrote<\/a> on Truth Social on Monday. \u201c[B]ut as such, and as a matter of FAIRNESS, will be reimbursed, at the rate of 20% on all cargo shipped, for any and all costs necessary to do the job of providing safety and security to this very volatile section of the World.\u201d<\/p>\n

A fifth of global oil and gas once passed through the Strait of Hormuz. However, since the Iran war ignited in late February, Tehran has effectively shut down the thoroughfare, disrupting supply chains and raising energy costs. The White House has repeatedly stressed<\/a> that U.S. forces will reopen the strait to everyone\u2014without tolls. \u201cThere isn\u2019t a nation on Earth that supports having to pay money to go through the straits,\u201d Rubio said on June 25.<\/p>\n

Yet Trump told Fox & Friends<\/em> on Monday that the United States is no longer interested in working for free<\/a>. \u201cWe\u2019re going to be reimbursed because the other nations are very wealthy, they\u2019re on our side, and we can\u2019t be expected to do that for nothing,\u201d the U.S. president said.<\/p>\n

In response, the United Nations\u2019 International Maritime Organization condemned<\/a> any attempt by Washington or Tehran to charge tolls, as doing so would violate global freedom of navigation norms. And Iran\u2019s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned<\/a> that continued U.S. military intervention in the strait \u201ccould lead to greater incidents in the \u200bglobal oil and \u2060gas sector.\u201d<\/p>\n

Such threats have not stopped Trump from also reinstating the U.S. military blockade on Iran. \u201cThe Hormuz Strait is OPEN, and will remain OPEN, with or without Iran,\u201d Trump wrote on Truth Social on Monday, announcing the blockade.<\/p>\n

First imposed in mid-April, the White House lifted the blockade in June to abide by a condition of the U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding (MOU). Although reimposing the stoppage violates the two sides\u2019 cease-fire deal, the MOU appears already in tatters following days of tit-for-tat strikes.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had a deal. It was a done deal, and then they broke it,\u201d Trump told Fox News<\/a> on Monday, referring to Iranian attacks on commercial vessels last week. \u201cThey always break it. We\u2019ve had 10 deals with these people. And so, we\u2019re just going \u200bto hit them very \u2060hard.\u201d U.S. Central Command said that on Sunday its forces struck<\/a> dozens of Iranian targets in retaliation for Iranian assaults on ships in the strait.<\/p>\n

The U.S. military has tried to establish a route through the waterway that bypasses Iranian waters by hugging Oman\u2019s coast. But Tehran isn\u2019t amused, attacking ships that use the alternate path. \u201cWe continue to assert our authority and control over the Strait of Hormuz with strength and power, and we will force foreigners and their allies to surrender to the will of the Iranian people,\u201d an IRGC spokesperson told Reuters<\/a> on Monday.<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s Most Read<\/h3>\n

The World This Week<\/h3>\n

Tuesday, July 14:<\/strong> Israeli and Lebanese officials begin a round of two-day talks in Rome.<\/p>\n

Thursday, July 16:<\/strong> German Chancellor Friedrich Merz hosts Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune.<\/p>\n

Nominations are due for the U.K. Labour Party\u2019s leadership contest. If no one else challenges parliamentarian Andy Burnham, then he is expected to replace outgoing Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday, July 20.<\/p>\n

Sunday, July 19:<\/strong> S\u00e3o Tom\u00e9 and Pr\u00edncipe hold a presidential election.<\/p>\n

What We\u2019re Following<\/h3>\n

A new front. <\/strong>Houthi rebels in Yemen accused<\/a> Saudi Arabia on Monday of launching airstrikes at Sanaa International Airport and vowed retaliation, testing the tenuous truce between Riyadh and the Iran-backed group in Yemen. \u201cThis aggression will not go unanswered or unpunished,\u201d Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, a Houthi official, wrote on Telegram.<\/p>\n

Saudi Arabia did not comment on the alleged attack, but Yemeni Defense Minister Taher al-Aqili<\/a>, who is a member of the Saudi-backed, internationally recognized government of Yemen, wrote on X that the airport\u2019s runway was hit to prevent an Iranian plane from landing there. The aircraft was believed to be carrying a Houthi delegation that had traveled to Iran for the funeral of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was buried last week. According to the Yemeni rebel group, the plane was diverted to Hodeidah International Airport, which is controlled by the Houthis.<\/p>\n

Houthi forces occupy large swaths of northern Yemen and have long defied the country\u2019s Saudi-backed government. Although Riyadh has tried to isolate itself from the Iran war, including by offering to help mediate talks between Tehran and Washington, active fighting between Saudi and Houthi forces could drag the kingdom directly into the fray.<\/p>\n

Limiting online access. <\/strong>European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced<\/a> on Monday that the European Union will impose age restrictions on social media usage. \u201cThis is not about whether children can access social media,\u201d von der Leyen said. \u201cIt is about whether and when social media can access our children.\u201d<\/p>\n

In an EU report published<\/a> on Monday, the bloc recommended that minors under age 13 have \u201ctime-limited\u201d access to social media and only with parental supervision; social media platforms already limit access to users under age 13. Von der Leyen also said that the EU plans to consider age bans on other online sites deemed harmful to young people. Although she did not specify which sites might be impacted, experts suspect<\/a> that video games and artificial intelligence chatbots could be targeted.<\/p>\n

At least 12 EU members<\/a>\u2014including France, Greece, and Spain\u2014have already announced or are currently discussing similar restrictions. Their actions follow in the footsteps of Australia, which became the first country in December to impose an age-based social media ban. However, pushback from Estonia, the lone EU voice against age restrictions, could complicate matters; Tallinn has argued<\/a> that EU legislation should prioritize regulating the platforms rather than restricting access, as young people will likely find a way to circumvent the bans.<\/p>\n

Patriot vs. Freya. <\/strong>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived<\/a> in Paris on Monday for a gathering of the \u201ccoalition of the willing,\u201d a British- and French-led group of countries that support Ukraine in its war against Russia. At least 25 leaders attended the summit, which focused on bolstering Kyiv\u2019s anti-ballistic missile capabilities to fill the gap left by the United States.<\/p>\n

Last week, Trump agreed to give Kyiv a license to domestically produce Patriot missile defense systems. Although this license will help Ukraine counter Russian attacks in the long run, it fails to tackle the immediate threats that Kyiv faces. To address this, Zelensky on Monday pushed for the joint development<\/a> of the Freya anti-ballistic missile system, a pan-European effort to create a more affordable alternative to the U.S. Patriot system.<\/p>\n

Zelensky\u2019s trip came one day after the Ukrainian leader announced<\/a> a massive cabinet shake-up, including the dismissal of Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko. \u201cUkraine is changing its political strategy,\u201d Zelensky wrote<\/a> on social media on Sunday, adding that he plans to designate an official to oversee each of his policy priorities. These include managing relations with Washington, securing EU membership, procuring advanced armaments, and overseeing the front lines.<\/p>\n

Odds and Ends<\/h3>\n

In the dead of night on Friday, security officials returned a priceless medieval artifact<\/a> to British soil for the first time in nearly 1,000 years. The Bayeux Tapestry, which details the 1066 Norman invasion of England, has long been housed in the French region of Normandy. However, during a state visit to the United Kingdom last July, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that the 11th-century artwork would temporarily be displayed at the British Museum, starting Sept. 10. Citing security concerns, though, the tapestry was transported under the cover of darkness, with the details of when and how it would arrive kept under wraps until its safe arrival was confirmed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Welcome back to World Brief, where we\u2019re looking at new U.S. plans for the Strait of Hormuz, Houthi allegations against Saudi Arabia, and the European Union cracking down on minors\u2019 social media access. The Guardian of Hormuz For months, the United States has cited Iran\u2019s claims over the Strait of Hormuz, including Tehran\u2019s vow to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":36018,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IranUSHormuz-GettyImages-2285298964.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[11611],"tags":[25773,1572,12083,13848,20649,11612,20323,11954,13033,14880,725,25781,473,955,13399,11614,155],"class_list":["post-36017","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-spyballoon-global-news","tag-blockade","tag-charge","tag-donald-trump","tag-homepage_regional_middle_east_africa","tag-hormuz","tag-iran","tag-iran-u-s","tag-paywall-free","tag-post-to-buffer","tag-reimpose","tag-strait","tag-tolls","tag-trump","tag-u-s","tag-u-s-military","tag-united-states","tag-war"],"rttpg_featured_image_url":{"full":["https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IranUSHormuz-GettyImages-2285298964.jpg",0,0,false],"landscape":["https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IranUSHormuz-GettyImages-2285298964.jpg",0,0,false],"portraits":["https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IranUSHormuz-GettyImages-2285298964.jpg",0,0,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IranUSHormuz-GettyImages-2285298964.jpg",150,150,false],"medium":["https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IranUSHormuz-GettyImages-2285298964.jpg",300,300,false],"large":["https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IranUSHormuz-GettyImages-2285298964.jpg",1024,1024,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IranUSHormuz-GettyImages-2285298964.jpg",1536,1536,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IranUSHormuz-GettyImages-2285298964.jpg",2048,2048,false],"post-thumbnail":["https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IranUSHormuz-GettyImages-2285298964.jpg",370,265,false],"kava-thumb-s":["https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IranUSHormuz-GettyImages-2285298964.jpg",150,85,false],"kava-thumb-s-2":["https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IranUSHormuz-GettyImages-2285298964.jpg",230,230,false],"kava-thumb-m":["https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IranUSHormuz-GettyImages-2285298964.jpg",400,400,false],"kava-thumb-m-vertical":["https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IranUSHormuz-GettyImages-2285298964.jpg",370,500,false],"kava-thumb-m-2":["https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IranUSHormuz-GettyImages-2285298964.jpg",570,450,false],"kava-thumb-l":["https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IranUSHormuz-GettyImages-2285298964.jpg",1170,650,false],"kava-thumb-xl":["https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IranUSHormuz-GettyImages-2285298964.jpg",1920,1080,false],"kava-thumb-masonry":["https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IranUSHormuz-GettyImages-2285298964.jpg",600,999,false],"kava-thumb-justify":["https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IranUSHormuz-GettyImages-2285298964.jpg",640,640,false],"kava-thumb-justify-2":["https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/IranUSHormuz-GettyImages-2285298964.jpg",1280,640,false]},"rttpg_author":{"display_name":"#RiseCelestialStudios","author_link":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/author\/ralph-c\/"},"rttpg_comment":0,"rttpg_category":"SPYBALLOON GLOBAL NEWS<\/a>","rttpg_excerpt":"Welcome back to World Brief, where we\u2019re looking at new U.S. plans for the Strait of Hormuz, Houthi allegations against Saudi Arabia, and the European Union cracking down on minors\u2019 social media access. 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