Iran Says It Struck Two Tankers in Strait of Hormuz as Trump Convenes Cabinet on War and Rising Prices

Iran said on Friday it had struck two oil tankers attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz under US military escort, as President Donald Trump gathered his cabinet at Camp David to discuss the stalled war with Iran and rising energy costs ahead of November’s midterm elections.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, IRGC, said the “non-compliant oil tankers … were struck and brought to a halt, while four other oil tankers quickly changed course and returned to their previous positions.” 

The military body alleged the ships tried to pass through the strait via an “undeclared route” and under US aerial escort.

*Competing Routes and Rising Tensions*

Iran and the US have issued conflicting directives on shipping routes through the strait. Tehran says it is targeting vessels using the southern route near Oman’s coast, while Washington says it is enforcing a blockade against Iranian ships and ports.

The waterway has been almost completely closed to commercial traffic since fighting resumed two weeks ago, pushing energy prices higher. On Thursday, crude oil rose above $90 a barrel after the US struck Iran in retaliation for attacks on US bases in Jordan.

Fighting continued on Friday. Kuwait’s defence ministry said it had shot down Iranian drones targeting “vital and military facilities,” with no casualties reported.

In Lebanon, the Israeli military carried out a large detonation overnight near the ancient Beaufort Castle, saying it was targeting Hezbollah tunnels and infrastructure. The blast was heard across south Lebanon and covered nearby towns in ash. Photos showed the area levelled by the explosion.

Lebanese officials accused Israel of violating the ceasefire. The Israeli military said the operation was necessary to ensure the security of residents in northern Israel.

*Trump Faces Political Pressure at Home*

Trump has tried to force open the Strait of Hormuz, but intensifying US strikes on Iran have yielded limited results. High gas and grocery prices linked to the energy disruption are complicating Republicans’ chances in the midterm elections.

On Friday, Trump met his cabinet at the Camp David retreat in Maryland to chart a path forward. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt last week described the meeting as “a lot of fun and something different for the cabinet to experience together.”

The Iran war topped the agenda. Trump had promised the conflict would last weeks, but it has now dragged on for five months. 

A Reuters-Ipsos poll this week found that one in three Americans support the war, the lowest level since it began.

Support in Congress is also waning. The US Senate narrowly rejected a symbolic vote to express disapproval of the war. A war powers resolution asking the president to end US involvement failed 49-50.

Rising inflation caused by the conflict has given Democrats momentum as they seek to retake the House from Republicans.

Energy companies have posted record profits during the conflict. ExxonMobil reported doubled profits, while Chevron said earnings were more than five times higher than in the same period last year.