Project Freedom was set to begin on May 4, with the U.S. military pledging to provide support, including the use of guided-missile destroyers, aircraft and drones.

Non-U.S. persons who pay could also face civil and criminal enforcement liability if payments cause U.S. persons, such as insurers and financial institutions, to violate sanctions.

Managing trade restrictions has always been a manufacturing supply chain challenge, but the difficulty is quickly ratcheting up.

The Houthis and Somali pirates have cultivated an alliance over the years, with the rebels at times providing technology and military backup.

This new effort does not currently involve U.S. Navy escorts, but rather a coordination process for countries, insurance companies and shipping organizations.

The case is the latest example of how oil traders and shippers are struggling to adjust to the disruption wrought by the near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump on May 1 said he would boost levies on cars and trucks from the European Union to 25%.

The U.S. continues to consume vast quantities of Scotch, in 2025 buying the equivalent of 120 million bottles, almost one for every two American adults of drinking age.

Analysts say that tariffs are rarely the main obstacle for exporters in Africa, which as a continent has a huge trade deficit with China, rising in 2025 by 65% to about $102 billion.

Khamenei stressed that Iran has no intention of relinquishing control of the Strait of Hormuz, and that the country plans to implement new legal frameworks for managing the waterway.