The United States military launched airstrikes on Iranian port cities on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, targeting infrastructure in Bushehr and Bandar Abbas to weaken Iranian capabilities against commercial vessels.
President Donald Trump withdrew a threatened 20 percent security fee on ships navigating the Strait of Hormuz just five hours before its scheduled implementation, according to The Guardian.
Trump announced the removal of the maritime transit toll, opting instead to pursue investment and trade frameworks with Gulf Arab nations while maintaining a naval blockade on Iranian ports.
The policy shift occurred during a White House meeting with Iraqi officials regarding security dynamics and financial burdens of patrolling the international waterway.
"Based on highly productive conversations with Middle East leadership," Trump said, adding, "But at the same time, it’s not fair that we’re protecting this strait for the entire world."
Iran retaliated by striking Bahrain, Jordan, and two Emirati-associated tankers.
Regional leaders responded to the escalating military friction and the collapse of navigation agreements that have left at least 28 people dead since last week.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned during a conference in southern Israel: "I will say it to the leaders of Iran: Do not count on things remaining quiet if you attack us."
"The days are over when someone strikes us and we don’t hit back with a decisive blow," Netanyahu added.
In response to the American blockade and the proposed transit fees, Iranian officials asserted their permanent jurisdiction over the strategic maritime corridor.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said, "20% is of course too much. We will be fair."
Diplomatic tensions further escalated as New Delhi summoned Iran's deputy ambassador after an Iranian attack on two tankers killed one Indian seafarer and severely injured 10 others.
European aviation regulators issued safety warnings for regional airspace, and crude oil prices climbed to a four-week high of over $86 a barrel.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar commented on ongoing pilot zone discussions aimed at managing troop withdrawals from occupied areas in Lebanon, calling them "the only way forward."
The bilateral negotiations mediated by the US continue in Rome, though the Lebanese presidency has demanded an immediate Israeli military withdrawal from the designated pilot zones before proceeding with broader discussions.
