Chaos reigns in the Persian Gulf as the US and Iran exchanged new powerful military strikes aimed at dominance and control over the Strait of Hormuz. The Americans announced that they hit 5 Iranian tankers – one of which sank – in response to ongoing Iranian fire against US military vessels, with the Revolutionary Guards launching a counteroffensive and unleashing hellfire on two US bases in Jordan. At the same time, in a power move over who controls the Strait, the IRGC claims it also struck 2 US destroyers, 8 tankers, and 10 other vessels that attempted to transit through a "prohibited and unsafe zone" of the Strait, "at the instigation and with the support" of the US. It is now clear that the calculations and tensions in the Strait of Hormuz have shifted, as both the US and Iran continue mutual retaliatory operations, targeting additional ships and oil tankers daily, pushing the conflict into a new dimension. Against this fierce backdrop, with crude oil prices touching nearly 100 dollars a barrel, and as Oman and Iran are expected within the next two days to implement a temporary navigation corridor agreed upon in the Strait, Tehran revealed the death trap it has set for the Americans.
Esmaeil Kousari (former IRGC commander): We have been planning the defense of Hormuz for decades
Iran's military readiness to defend the Strait of Hormuz is "the result of years of strategic planning aimed at confronting regional threats," argued Esmaeil Kousari, a member of the Iranian Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee and former IRGC brigadier general. Kousari told the ISNA news agency that the military and the IRGC had established defensive arrangements and operational response plans since the final years of the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s to ensure a rapid response to any foreign military presence in the region. Indeed, Kousari asserted that Iranian forces have tested and implemented specific methods and "know what they must do in the future." "The management and command of the Strait of Hormuz rests squarely in the hands of the Revolutionary Guards," Kousari claimed, stating that ships attempting to cross "without coordination" will face military force from Iranian assets. Indicatively, the Revolutionary Guards announced that in response to US attacks against 5 Iranian tankers, they hit 2 US destroyers, 8 tankers, and 10 vessels attempting to transit the Strait at the instigation of the Americans.
Mostafa Izadi (IRGC): We fully control Hormuz
Iranian armed forces maintain firm control over the Strait of Hormuz and are fully deployed in combat readiness to protect the country's southern coastal regions, claimed Mostafa Izadi, Iranian major general and deputy commander of the Revolutionary Guards. In statements, Izadi noted that the armed forces, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, army, and law enforcement, "are decisively executing their duties and assigned missions across various operational theaters." "Forces are at full readiness and deployed on the country's southern islands and various other regions in the south, continuing to carry out their missions with strength and determination," Izadi added. Referring specifically to the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, he claimed that the strategic waterway remains "firmly and dynamically" under the control of Iranian forces, adding that this situation will continue. Furthermore, Izadi stated that Iran is taking appropriate measures in response to the US blockade, with several actions already executed. He cited a recent missile strike by the IRGC Aerospace Force against US warships as one such measure, adding that the opposing side had acknowledged the incident.
Only 6 ships crossed the Strait
Maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains restricted and well below usual levels, according to preliminary tracking data. Six cargo vessels crossed the waterway on Tuesday, September 8, compared to nine the previous day, well below the 10-day average of approximately 12 ships, Reuters reported, citing Kpler data. Figures may adjust as some vessels routinely turn off their transponders during transit. Of the six vessels, five were entering the Strait and one was exiting, according to Kpler tracking. These included one Panamax-class tanker and one intermediate-sized tanker. Concurrently, 25 cargo vessels crossed the Bab al-Mandeb Strait on Tuesday, 9/8—another critical Middle Eastern maritime transit point—with 11 entering and 14 exiting. This compares to an average of 27 vessels transiting the Bab al-Mandeb Strait over the previous 10 days. Vessels crossing included two Suezmax tankers, eight Aframax tankers, and one Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC).
Shock threats from Iran
Iran also threatened to target oil tankers operating near ports in Bahrain and Kuwait. "We warn all crews aboard oil tankers in the port areas of Kuwait and Bahrain—which host these (American) terrorists and act as accomplices in their hostile actions—to immediately abandon their vessels, whether anchored or moored at ports, as these ships will be targeted," state television IRIB reported, citing the IRGC.
US attacks
The Iranian attacks on two US bases in Jordan, as well as the strikes on 2 US destroyers, 8 tankers, and 10 ships, were preceded by US strikes against 5 Iranian tankers, one of which was sunk. CENTCOM emphasized that its strikes were executed after Iran launched ballistic missiles at a US Navy warship in a fresh escalation of hostilities. According to CENTCOM, four crude oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman (M/T Kaviz, M/T Charminar, M/T Horizon 1, and M/T Riesco) and one near Kharg Island (M/T Derya) in the Persian Gulf were struck on Tuesday. One of the vessels, identified as M/T Riesco, was shown in footage released by the US military on X on fire and sinking in the Gulf of Oman. According to United States Central Command, US forces ordered crews aboard the targeted vessels to evacuate prior to launching the strikes. The US strikes were carried out in response to two Iranian attempts to attack a US Navy warship over the past two days. The US vessel evaded the ballistic missiles and resumed maritime patrols in the region, according to CENTCOM, which added that "no US personnel were injured."
Destroyed. 5 Iranian oil tankers. Wow pic.twitter.com/U0il3l6sza
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) September 8, 2026
Trump's plan
Whether these attacks on oil tankers represent an organized strategic campaign or stem more from circumstantial tactical decisions remains unclear at this stage. However, there is no doubt that attacks on Iranian tankers will exact an economic toll on Tehran, fitting into what the US administration has described as its current strategy of "economic strangulation." Trump and his advisers maintain that the path forward must focus on "economic strangulation," while Trump appears reluctant to resort to full-scale military options, preferring financial measures at this stage. Nevertheless, Trump has made clear that whenever US or allied assets and interests come under strike, a military response will follow. This dynamic has unfolded in recent days, raising the prospect of further escalation—an escalation that nonetheless remains tied to the broader economic strategy to force Iran back to the negotiating table.
Oil markets ablaze, a breath away from 100 dollars a barrel
Ongoing military clashes between the US and Iran in the Persian Gulf, alongside developments in Saudi Arabia involving Houthi attacks against energy and petroleum infrastructure, have reignited fuel prices. Oil prices continued their upward trajectory toward the 100-dollar threshold during early Asian trading on Wednesday, 9/9. Specifically, both main benchmark indices posted gains exceeding 1 dollar, with WTI crude trading at 94.39 dollars a barrel and Brent crude rising to 99.46 dollars.
Americans pay an extra 100 billion for gasoline and diesel
The war with Iran has burdened American consumers with a massive energy bill that continues to grow as the conflict drags on. US consumers have paid an extra 100.9 billion dollars for gasoline and diesel alone since the onset of the conflict in late February, according to a cost index published by Brown University's Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs. This figure translates to roughly 770 dollars per American household—a total likely to climb as retail fuel prices remain elevated.
The most expensive autumn
"We are heading into an autumn that will be the most expensive we have ever seen for gasoline, but especially for diesel. And that will feed into every aspect of consumer price inflation," Tom Kloza, chief energy analyst at Gulf Oil, told CNN. The study calculates the added financial burden on consumers by comparing real energy prices against a hypothetical baseline scenario without the conflict. Although energy prices did not spike as high as initially feared, the Brown University index highlights how the conflict is squeezing disposable income across the US. Consumers have paid an additional 55 billion dollars—averaging 422 dollars per household—strictly for gasoline since the war began. Gasoline prices rose on Tuesday, 9/8, to a new three-month high above 4.15 dollars per gallon, according to AAA data. Monday, 9/7, marked the most expensive Labor Day on record for pump prices. This price reflects a significant rise from 3.20 dollars during the same period last year and 2.98 dollars prior to the war's outbreak. Nonetheless, it remains well below the post-war high of 4.56 dollars seen in May and the historical peak of 5.02 dollars per gallon set in 2022 following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Diesel breaks historic records
Diesel, a vital commercial fuel for trucks, trains, tractors, and maritime shipping, has never been more expensive. The national average price for a gallon of diesel stands at 5.90 dollars, compared to 3.76 dollars when the conflict started. This price shatters the previous record set in 2022. Americans are spending an extra 46 billion dollars—averaging 348 dollars per household—on diesel fuel alone, according to Brown University. Diesel prices have surged over 60% since the start of the year, putting the fuel on track for its largest annual percentage gain since AAA began tracking market data in 2000.
100-dollar oil approaches
Several market analysts warn that prices could climb even higher. Goldman Sachs raised its December Brent price forecast by 5 dollars to 85 dollars per barrel. It projects Brent to average 80 dollars in 2027, up from a previous estimate of 75 dollars. Goldman Sachs estimates that Middle Eastern crude production will recover only gradually through the second half of next year, warning that Brent could breach 120 dollars if Gulf production remains significantly below pre-war levels. Brent is currently trading near 100 dollars per barrel, a psychologically critical mark above which it has not closed since July 23. The issue, however, extends beyond high crude costs; there is also a shortage of operational refining capacity to process crude into gasoline, jet fuel, and diesel essential to powering the global economy.
Inflation burns
Three of the world's four major refining hubs—the Middle East, Russia, and China—face operational constraints due to war conditions and export restrictions. Refineries along the US Gulf Coast are running at maximum capacity to offset these supply losses. "This is a quiet, but very, very troubling crisis right now," Kloza remarked, adding that consumers nationwide "are going to pay a fortune." The August Consumer Price Index report, scheduled for release on Friday, 9/11, is projected to show annual inflation rising by 3.4%. With inflation remaining well above the Federal Reserve's 2% target, the US central bank is expected to seriously evaluate an interest rate hike at next week's monetary policy meeting.
Trump promises lower prices
The average price of diesel is on the verge of crossing 6 dollars per gallon nationally for the first time in history. Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, warned that California diesel prices "could easily exceed" 8 dollars per gallon. According to AAA, California's average diesel price hit an all-time record of 7.83 dollars per gallon on Tuesday, up from 5.14 dollars during the same period last year. "Some fuel pumps are not even designed to display the prices that may follow," De Haan noted. Record energy costs present a political challenge for President Donald Trump, who campaigned heavily in 2024 against Biden-era energy costs and pledged to make energy affordable again. "Oil prices will fall rapidly... when we WIN the war with Iran," Trump posted on Truth Social on Monday evening, echoing statements he has made repeatedly as the conflict persists.
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