The Trump administration has implemented a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz as part of its strategy to pressure Iran economically during the ongoing US-Israel war with Iran that began in late February 2026. Expert analysis from Max Boot frames this as a high-risk gambit: the administration is banking on Iran's economy collapsing before global oil price spikes force the US to lift the blockade, and the outcome remains genuinely uncertain. The blockade immediately disrupted one of the world's most critical energy chokepoints—roughly one-third of global seaborne oil passes through the strait—which means even short-term disruption drives energy costs up worldwide, affecting inflation and household costs in importing nations. What matters next: energy markets are already volatile from the ongoing Iran conflict, and extended blockade could trigger the very energy crisis the administration is trying to avoid, forcing a political reversal.