Trump says US reinstates blockade of Iranian shipping in Strait of Hormuz after new clashes

Trump says US reinstates blockade of Iranian shipping in Strait of Hormuz after new clashes. Summary: Iran's Guards say they targeted US facilities in region. US says it hit air defences, coastal radars, small boats. Trump says US will be 'guardian' of Strait of Hormuz. UN shipping agency says no legal basis for imposing mandatory tolls on transits. Oil prices rise more than 5%. DUBAI/WASHINGTON, July 13 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said on Monday the United States was reinstating its blockade of Iranian shipping in the Gulf and would ensure the Strait of Hormuz stays open — for a fee — after the two sides exchanged more missile and drone attacks. "The Hormuz Strait is OPEN, and will remain OPEN, with or without Iran. We are reinstating THE IRANIAN BLOCKADE," Trump said on Truth Social. "The U.S.A. will be, from this point forward, known as 'THE GUARDIAN OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT', but as such, and as a matter of FAIRNESS, will be reimbursed, at the rate of 20% on all cargo shipped." Iran's top joint military command said the U.S. had no role in determining the future of Hormuz. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi wrote on X that Tehran was the guardian of the strait and would remain so "forever", adding in response to Trump's comments that: "20% is of course too much. We will be fair." The UN's shipping agency pushed back against Trump's proposal, saying it opposes any fees for straits used in international navigation and stressing that there is no legal basis for introducing mandatory tolls on strait transits. Trump has previously suggested the U.S. could charge tolls on shipping through the strait, but it has so far not done so and it was unclear if it would follow through on Trump's declaration this time. The U.S. Navy-led Joint Maritime Information Center said the blockade would take effect at 2000 GMT on Tuesday and apply to all vessel traffic regardless of flag, covering the entire Iranian coastline including ports and oil terminals. Before the conflict began in February, around a fifth of the world's oil and gas traffic passed through Hormuz daily. If the U.S. were to impose a 20% fee, it could generate around $250 million a day. The U.S., which revoked a licence waiving sanctions on Iranian crude sales last week, said its forces were positioned to safeguard freedom of navigation. "Iran does not control the strait. Traffic is flowing," it said. U.S. officials said around 20 vessels had been escorted through the strait in the previous 24 hours, although ship-tracking data showed little traffic moving. MarineTraffic said on Monday that vessel activity through the strait declined by about 52% over July 10 to 12 compared to the previous week.