U.S. Military Says It Will Restore Maritime Blockade Against Iran, Iran Strikes U.S. Bases in the Middle East

Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, July 14 - The U.S. military announced on the 13th that it had launched a "third consecutive night" of strikes against Iran and would resume maritime blockades against Iran at 4 PM Eastern Time on the 14th. Iran, on the other hand, stated that the direct responsibility for the recent escalation in the Strait of Hormuz lies with the United States and has carried out retaliatory strikes against U.S. military bases in the Middle East.

According to a report by The New York Times on the 13th, U.S. President Trump has officially notified Congress that hostilities with Iran have resumed.

The U.S. Central Command stated on the 13th that at 4:45 PM Eastern Time that day, the U.S. military began its "third consecutive night" of strikes against Iran. During the 5-hour operation, the U.S. military targeted multiple military sites in Iran, including Bushehr, Chabahar Port, and Bandar Abbas, using precision-guided munitions to strike Iran's coastal defense systems, missile and drone bases, as well as maritime military facilities.

The U.S. Central Command also announced on social media on the 13th that, following Trump's directive, the U.S. military would resume maritime blockade operations against Iran at 4 PM Eastern Time on the 14th (4 AM Beijing Time on the 15th). The U.S.-led Joint Maritime Information Center also stated on the 13th that the U.S. Central Command would begin enforcing a maritime blockade against all Iranian ports and all coastal areas of Iran at the aforementioned time, with the blockade measures not distinguishing between the flags flown by vessels.

On the 13th, Trump confirmed on social media that the U.S. would resume its maritime blockade against Iran and would charge a 20% fee on all goods transported through the Strait of Hormuz.

In response to Trump's statement, Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif wrote on social media on the 14th, "The U.S. President is not wrong; whoever guarantees the safety of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz should collect this service fee. Iran has always been the guardian of the Strait and will continue to be. However, 20% is indeed too high; we will be fair."

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Baghaei stated on the 13th that the terms of the U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding regarding the Strait of Hormuz are clear and leave no room for arbitrary interpretation, asserting that the direct responsibility for the recent escalation in the Strait of Hormuz lies with the United States. A spokesman for the Iranian Armed Forces' Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters stated on the 13th that the U.S. would not be allowed to interfere in the management of the Strait of Hormuz, and the Iranian Armed Forces would respond strongly to any unauthorized incursions by U.S. forces into designated shipping lanes, as well as interference with commercial vessels and oil tankers.

The Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps confirmed on the 14th that two giant oil tankers were "maliciously manipulated" by the U.S. and had their navigation systems shut down. They ignored multiple warnings from the Strait of Hormuz shipping safety control center, jeopardizing navigation safety in the waterway and chose to cross a minefield, ultimately being struck and losing power due to attacks from the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy.

Meanwhile, the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps also stated that its naval and aerospace forces used missiles and drones to attack the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet located in Bahrain, hitting the fleet's fuel depot, successfully striking and destroying radar systems and the "Patriot" air defense system, and completely destroying the unmanned vessel control and monitoring center of the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet.

The Jordanian Armed Forces issued a statement on the 14th saying that Jordan's air defense system intercepted and shot down four missiles from Iran early that morning. The UAE Ministry of Defense also stated on the same day that two oil tankers belonging to a national oil company were attacked by two cruise missiles from the direction of Iran in the southern shipping lane of the Strait of Hormuz, resulting in one death and eight injuries.

Additionally, Iranian media reported on the 14th that explosions were heard in multiple locations, including Kish Island, Qeshm Island, Abu Musa Island, Bandar Abbas, and Jam County in Bushehr Province. Some areas in Khuzestan Province were attacked by U.S. forces early that morning, resulting in four injuries.