If Trump orders the Navy to blockade the strait itself, he puts U.S. assets in danger of Iranian missiles.

The program addresses a growing challenge: the scale and sophistication of counterfeit goods entering global supply chains. 

The mechanism by which ship operators get permission from Iran to transit the strait remain unclear, over questions as to who is actually in charge.

Iran said it would only observe a two-week ceasefire if Israel ceased its attacks on Lebanon, but Israel hit over 100 sites in Lebanon on April 8.

The Balboa port is one of two terminals along the strategic Panama Canal that have become a flashpoint in the intensifying rivalry between the U.S. and China in Latin America.

According to the International Maritime Organization, some 20,000 civilian seafarers are stuck on board trapped ships and the other utility and support vessels.

Authorities say that one fuel truck worker was killed in the blast, while two firefighters were injured during response efforts.

The UKMTO said the crew are safe and accounted for. No environmental impact has been reported. Authorities are investigating.

Satellite photos from the European Union’s Copernicus Browser show a vessel on fire in the area on March 28, and it disappearing by April 2.

The UNFPA warns that delays stemming from the Iran conflict could limit access to critical resources for at least 18,000 pregnant women.