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US Navy Begins Blockading Iranian Ports as Trump Sets 20% Shipping Toll

The US military began enforcing a full naval blockade of Iran's ports, oil terminals, and coastal waters at 4 p.m. Eastern time on July 14, covering every vessel regardless of flag, after weeks of tit-for-tat strikes in the Strait of Hormuz. President Trump said Washington will collect a 20% fee on cargo shipped through the region to cover security costs, while transit to non-Iranian destinations and humanitarian shipments remain permitted. The move came a day after the United Kingdom formally designated Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist organization.