U.S. and Iran standoff over the Strait of Hormuz intensifies

U.S. and Iran standoff over the Strait of Hormuz intensifies July 15, 20265:56 AM ET By  NPR Staff Ships are docked along a pier at the Khor Fakkan Container Terminal, the only natural deep-sea port in the region and one of the major container ports in Sharjah Emirate, along the Gulf of Oman on July 14, 2026. AFP via Getty Images hide caption toggle caption AFP via Getty Images Iran threatened to block all oil exporting routes in the region on Wednesday in response to the U.S. maritime blockade of Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz. A statement by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard said the U.S. "must expect other oil and gas export routes that serve the interests of the United States and its allies to be closed as well." Middle East conflict The U.S. is back to blockading Iran as the Strait of Hormuz standoff escalates "The region's oil and gas exports will either be available to everyone or to no one," said the statement carried by Iranian state media. Though it did not make a direct reference to the Bab al-Mandab Strait, in the past Iran has threatened to close off the narrow passage at the entrance of the Red Sea, which links up to the Suez Canal as well as to the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, providing passage to commercial vessels between Europe, Asia and Africa. Sponsor Message In the hour leading up to the blockade, CENTCOM said the U.S. launched another wave of strikes to "continue degrading Iranian capabilities used to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz." Adm. Brad Cooper, who commands the U.S. Central Command, accused Iran of attacking seven commercial ships and launching missiles against Gulf countries. "U.S. forces are holding Iran accountable for unwarranted aggression that continues to endanger innocent lives," Cooper said in a statement. Iran responded to the latest strikes by targeting U.S. military bases in Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan early Wednesday. The escalation entered its fifth day on Wednesday, raising the specter of...