The United States military disabled a commercial vessel attempting to run its naval blockade of Iran in the Gulf of Oman on July 24, according to U.S. Central Command. The M/T Lavine was hit in the engine room after warnings, marking the second such enforcement action since President Trump reinstated the blockade on July 13.
That same day, Trump told Axios he was weighing whether to launch a 'massive attack' on Iran that would be 'bigger than ever before,' as the U.S. conducted its 13th consecutive night of strikes against Iranian military targets, including command centers and drone storage. The Iranian Health Ministry reported 3,434 people killed since the conflict began.
Brent crude oil briefly surged above $100 per barrel for the first time since May before settling around $97, as traffic through the Strait of Hormuz slowed to a near-standstill. Only one vessel, the oil tanker New Giant, successfully crossed the strait on July 24, heading for China.
Despite the escalation, Trump confirmed the U.S. is simultaneously talking to Iran, stating: 'There's two ways... we can negotiate with them, which we're also doing right now.' The administration has not signaled any intention to formally announce an end to the blockade.
The next milestone is July 31, the deadline for a potential U.S. announcement lifting the blockade. However, with military operations intensifying and no diplomatic breakthrough visible, the path to such a declaration remains unclear.
