Iran moves to charge Strait of Hormuz traffic as US, Israel escalate pressure

Tehran is moving to impose transit fees on vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz, as the United States and Israel intensify military pressure and threats against Iran, raising fresh concerns over global energy security and the risk of further escalation.

The conflict entered its 31st day on Monday, with both sides stepping up military operations. Iran's parliament advanced a bill that would impose transit fees on ships passing through the vital waterway and bar vessels linked to the US and Israel, while Washington warned it could "completely destroy" Iran's oil infrastructure if no agreement is reached.

Israel signals shift toward economic targets

The Israel Defense Forces said on Monday night it had completed another round of strikes targeting Iran's military-industrial facilities, hitting around 170 sites over the past 24 hours.

Israeli officials also said that, after a month of fighting, most initial military objectives have been achieved, with operations now entering a "final phase." Political leaders have reportedly instructed the military to shift focus toward Iran's economic assets, signaling a potential broadening of targets beyond purely military infrastructure.

Meanwhile, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had launched multiple waves of attacks under its ongoing "True Promise-4" campaign, targeting US and Israeli-linked facilities across the region, including sites in the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. Iran also claimed to have shot down two MQ-9 drones over Isfahan.

Tehran has come under increasingly frequent and intense air strikes in recent days. CMG correspondent Zhao Bing in Jerusalem reported that Israel's "race-against-time" strike pattern reflects a narrowing political window. With concerns that a US-Iran ceasefire could materialize, Israel appears to be accelerating operations to maximize damage to Iran's strategic assets before any diplomatic breakthrough.

He added in a live report that despite Israeli claims of degrading Iran's launch capabilities, near-daily missile fire from Iran continues to trigger air raid sirens across Israel. He said recent instances of interception failures have exposed strains on Israeli air defense systems. In addition, media reports indicate that amid the high-intensity attrition, the Israeli military is increasingly rationing its advanced Arrow-3 interceptors and relying more on mid-range systems.

Iran tightens grip on vital oil chokepoint

Amid intensifying Israel and US strikes, Iran is tightening its grip on vital oil chokepoint: the Strait of Hormuz, which handles roughly one-fifth of global seaborne oil trade, a critical artery for energy markets.

On Monday, Iran's parliamentary National Security Committee approved a bill proposing to charge vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The legislation would establish a formal fee system - potentially denominated in Iranian rials - while reinforcing the authority of Iran and its armed forces over the waterway and denying access to ships from countries imposing unilateral sanctions on Tehran. It also includes coordination with Oman on a legal framework governing the strait.

Analysts warn that if implemented, the move could push global oil prices higher even after hostilities subside.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington would not allow Iran to exert long-term control over the waterway or impose fees, warning of "serious consequences" if Tehran attempts to block or restrict access.

Read more: 'Who can afford it?' Americans struggling with rising oil prices amid Iran conflict

Talks clouded by dual-track strategy

While military tensions rise, diplomatic signals remain mixed. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly suggested negotiations with Iran are progressing and expressed hope for a deal by April 6.

The White House said Iran had agreed to parts of US proposals in indirect talks, but Tehran denied any direct negotiations, calling reported US ceasefire terms "unreasonable."

Trump warned that failure to reach a deal would result in sweeping strikes on Iran's energy infrastructure, including oil fields and facilities on Kharg Island.

At the same time, the US is reportedly weighing further troop deployments to the Middle East. The Wall Street Journal reported that the Pentagon is considering deploying an additional 10,000 soldiers to the Middle East, on top of the 7,000 ground troops already heading to the region.

Analysts see Trump's approach as a dual-track strategy of pressure and diplomacy: if the US seeks battlefield gains, talks may be a delaying tactic; if it aims to exit the region, troop deployments could serve as leverage to force Iran into concessions.

Sean Bell, a retired air vice-marshal and senior military analyst, told CGTN that the recent US military buildup is likely intended as leverage to extract concessions from Iran, reflecting Trump's tendency to rely on leverage when negotiating deals.

"Just the fact that these soldiers are being widely reported as going to the region will just sow a seed of doubt in the Iranian leadership's mind. They've withstood the air pounding, but boots on the ground is a very different matter."

Ground operation unlikely to deliver a decisive victory

Bell suggested two possible targets for the ground troops: securing the Strait of Hormuz, which would require a large and significant land operation, or the more plausible Kharg Island, a key oil-loading hub northwest of the strait.

"Controlling that (Kharg Island) might put a constraint around Iran's revenue and could therefore add some more leverage," Bell said, though he acknowledged such forces would be "very vulnerable" in that position.

But other experts warned that potential operations - such as seizing key oil export hubs - could prolong rather than resolve the conflict.

Ryan Brobst and Cameron McMillan of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies analyzed that a seizure and occupation of Kharg Island is more likely to expand and extend the war than it is to deliver any sort of decisive victory.

They said US troops would be exposed to missile and drone attacks, including, potentially, small but lethal camera-wielding "first-person view drones" that are already used by the millions in Ukraine.

A former commander of the US Central Command, Joseph Votel also expressed doubt that taking the island would provide any particular tactical advantage. It would be "kind of an odd thing to do ... But we could certainly do it if we had to," Votel said.

Iranian First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref cautioned that any US military move could trigger severe consequences, underscoring the high stakes as both sides balance escalation and negotiation.

Read more: How taking Kharg Island would pose risks for US troops