Overview
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Thursday that the U.S. Navy can sustain a blockade of Iran indefinitely by rotating ships in and out of the region.
- Vice President JD Vance said the administration now puts lowering U.S. gasoline and oil prices ahead of stopping Iran’s nuclear program as its immediate priority.
- Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned that Washington will roll out economic measures “like have never been seen” next week to deepen Iran’s financial isolation.
- Commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has plunged from roughly 130–140 daily pre‑war transits to single‑digit crossings, and the UAE reported attacks on two ADNOC-linked vessels while Iran says the strait will remain closed until its sweeping demands are met.
- Analysts say the combined blockade and sanctions have almost halted Iranian exports, the IEA has cut global supply forecasts by about 4.3 million barrels per day, and fragile talks mediated by Oman, Qatar and Pakistan face a high risk of collapse that could extend fuel pain for consumers.