US-Iran Conflict: Third Night of Strikes and 20% Tax on Strait of Hormuz

Herz — Business Desk · 14 July 2026 at 12:37 · 30s summary · 2 min read

What we know

The United States conducted strikes against Iranian targets for the third consecutive night on the night of July 13-14, 2026, according to Handelsblatt.

This military escalation has been continuous since the night of July 11-12, 2026, meaning at least 72 hours of successive strikes on Iranian territory.

In parallel, President Donald Trump announced the implementation of a 20% tax on all goods transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump presents this measure as re-establishing a naval blockade—a term designating the prohibition of maritime access to a territory to starve its supplies. The measure is inspired by this vocabulary, though its legal status under international maritime law is not established by available sources.

The Strait of Hormuz: A Strategic Chokepoint

The Strait of Hormuz is a maritime passage located between Iran to the north and the Sultanate of Oman to the south. It measures approximately 33 kilometers in width at its narrowest point and connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman, then to the Indian Ocean.

This strait constitutes the primary corridor through which petroleum and gas exports from Gulf countries—Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Iraq, and Qatar—transit. Any blockade of this passage would have immediate repercussions on global energy markets.

Timeline

1. Night of July 11-12, 2026
   First night of US strikes on Iranian targets—inferred from the description of the night of July 13-14 as the 'third consecutive night' in the primary source.
2. Night of July 12-13, 2026
   Second consecutive night of US strikes on Iranian targets.
3. Night of July 13-14, 2026
   Third consecutive night of US strikes. Trump simultaneously announces a 20% tax on all goods transiting the Strait of Hormuz, presented as re-establishing a naval blockade.