WASHINGTON/TEHRAN/NEW YORK/JERUSALEM – US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the US will take investment deals with Gulf states instead of fees for ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

"Based on highly productive conversations with Middle East leadership, I have decided to replace the 20 percent United States Reimbursement Fee with Trade and Investment Deals that the various Gulf States will be making into the United States," Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

Trump said the Strait of Hormuz would remain open to all ship traffic except for Iran, while the naval blockade will continue.

"BY FAR, the Strait of Hormuz is open to ALL Ship traffic except for Iran," he said. "We will therefore have a FULL Blockade, but only on Ships coming to and from Iranian ports, or carrying anything have to do with Iranian cargo," he added.

The decision came one day after he proposed a 20-percent fee on shipping to reimburse the US for protecting the key waterway.

Trump said he had formally notified Congress on Friday that the country had resumed military operations against Iran.

US resumes blockade in Hormuz

Meanwhile, the US military on Tuesday announced the resumption of the blockade in the Strait of Hormuz.

"US forces resumed the naval blockade against vessels transiting to and from Iranian ports and coastal areas today at 4 pm Eastern Time," the US Central Command said in a statement posted on social media platform X.

"There are currently more than 20 US Navy warships and hundreds of military aircraft operating across the Middle East. American forces remain vigilant, lethal, and ready," it said.

US launches additional round of strikes on Iran

On Tuesday, the US carried out an additional round of strikes against Iranian targets, the Command said in a statement.

Several explosions were heard Tuesday night in the southern Iranian provinces of Hormozgan and Khuzestan, Iran's state-run IRIB news agency reported.

Six explosions were heard west of the port city of Bandar Abbas, Hormozgan province, and Khuzestan's provincial capital Ahvaz was struck by US projectiles, it reported.

Separately, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported that Sirik County in Hormozgan province was targeted by US airstrikes Tuesday night, noting the attack caused no casualties or material damage.

Three blasts were also heard in proximity to Qeshm Island in Hormozgan province, Mehr reported.

ALSO READ: Fresh strikes stoke jitters in Middle East

US imposes new sanctions against Iran

The US Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on Tuesday issued General License Z and imposed new Iran-related sanctions.

The license, titled "Authorizing Wind Down Activities, Limited Safety and Environmental Transactions, and the Offloading of Cargo Involving Certain Persons or Vessels Blocked on July 14, 2026," was signed by OFAC Deputy Director Lisa Palluconi.

It does not authorize the entry into any new commercial contracts involving the property or interests in property of any blocked persons, nor does it authorize any transactions or activities prohibited by the executive order titled "Imposing Sanctions With Respect to Additional Sectors of Iran" signed on Jan 10, 2020, including any transaction or activity involving Iran, the government of Iran, or Iranian-origin goods or services that is prohibited by the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations.

Additionally, OFAC has added 10 individuals, 24 entities and 20 vessels to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List because of their connections with Iran. 

Iran lawmakers urge decisive stance on US 'ending' peace MoU

More than 180 Iranian lawmakers in the 290-member parliament issued a joint statement on Tuesday, urging a decisive stance towards what they called the US move to end a recently signed peace memorandum of understanding (MoU).

The lawmakers signed and issued the statement on Monday night at the parliament's first open session since the start of the US-Israel war on Iran on Feb 28, the semi-official Fars news agency reported Tuesday.

They called on the parliament's presiding board to form a special committee to review the issues regarding negotiations and agreements with the US.

The lawmakers said the parliament will prioritize the enhancement and effective transformation of Iran's defense doctrine, alongside legislation to assert the country's sovereignty and management of the Strait of Hormuz.

They also called for revenge for the assassination of Iran's late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a US-Israeli attack in late February.

ALSO READ: US-Iran strikes deepen crisis amid dispute over waterway

Netanyahu warns Iran of 'powerful' response 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday warned that any Iranian attacks on Israel would be met with a response "much more powerful" than previous attacks, according to a statement from his office.

Speaking at the Negev Conference in the southern city of Dimona, Netanyahu said that Israel is prepared for any scenario.

"I say to the leaders of Iran, do not count on there being silence if you attack us, do not count on there being a rebroadcast, which was powerful enough. It will be a different rerun, much more powerful," he warned.