Central Command confirmed Tuesday that American forces resumed a naval blockade against Iranian ports at 4 p.m. ET, describing more than 20 warships and hundreds of aircraft now positioned across the region as “vigilant, lethal, and ready” — phrasing a spokesperson noted has tested well with focus groups for three consecutive briefings.

Hours earlier, the administration announced it was abandoning a proposed 20% fee on cargo transiting the Strait of Hormuz in favor of “trade and investment deals” with Gulf states, a pivot officials described not as a retreat but as “unlocking latent capital that was previously sitting inside a punitive fee structure.” Analysts noted the blockade itself was not affected by the announcement in any way.