Hormuz Strait Blockade Enters Third Month as U.S. Plans Military Action, Iran Warns of 'Long and Painful' Strikes

According to Reuters and Axios, on May 1, the Hormuz Strait blockade entered its third month amid escalating U.S.-Iran tensions. Iranian Revolutionary Guards officials warned that any new U.S. military strikes, regardless of scale, would trigger “long and painful” attacks on American military bases and vessels in the region. President Trump is scheduled to receive a briefing on new military options against Iran on Thursday, with some proposals involving U.S. ground forces to restore commercial shipping through the strait.

The blockade has impacted approximately 20% of global oil and gas supplies, driving up international energy prices. Iran’s Supreme Leader Majid Majid Mojtaba Khamenei vowed to maintain “absolute control” of the waterway, warning foreign powers they would “be buried at sea.” The U.S. is simultaneously building an international coalition called the “Maritime Freedom Architecture” to ensure post-conflict passage, though France and Britain have indicated willingness to participate only after a ceasefire.