, Columnist
A Strait of Hormuz Blockade Could Backfire on the US
Not going anywhere.
Photographer: Fadel Senna/AFP/Getty Images
US President Donald Trump has made a very aggressive decision in the conflict with Iran, announcing a complete blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. This is an act of war, quite different from a naval quarantine, which targets shipments of specific goods such as weapons. A blockade means, quite simply, nothing goes in or out.
The administration believes that in recent days the only people benefiting from limited transit through the strait were the Iranians, who had established de facto control and were extracting exorbitant fees from ships willing to risk a transit.