Story perspectives

Hegseth Vows Fire on Hormuz Blockade as Oil Hits $100

4/25/2026

Summary

Story summary

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called the Strait of Hormuz blockade “ironclad” and warned U.S. forces will fire on any vessel that disrupts shipping.
Brent crude topped $100 as the blockade cut one-fifth of oil flows.
Twenty-eight vessels were turned back while 34 Iran-linked tankers carrying 10.7 million barrels crossed.
Former Treasury sanctions official Miad Maleki warned the blockade could empty Iran’s export terminal in days and cause $435 million daily damage.

History

Historical Context

In October 1973 OAPEC, led by Saudi Arabia, cut production and imposed an oil embargo on the United States to protest American arms shipments to Israel, driving crude from about $3 to nearly $12 per barrel—a four-fold jump. The shock reshaped global energy policy and today’s Strait of Hormuz blockade, warned by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, echoes that same leverage over markets.

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Story summary

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called the Strait of Hormuz blockade “ironclad” and warned U.S. forces will fire on any vessel that disrupts shipping.
Brent crude topped $100 as the blockade cut one-fifth of oil flows.
Twenty-eight vessels were turned back while 34 Iran-linked tankers carrying 10.7 million barrels crossed.
Former Treasury sanctions official Miad Maleki warned the blockade could empty Iran’s export terminal in days and cause $435 million daily damage.

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