Trump's naval blockade of Iran's oil exports aims to cripple Tehran's economy and force nuclear negotiations, but risks igniting regional conflict, disrupting global energy markets, and permanently reshaping the Strait of Hormuz—a chokepoint through which 21% of world oil passes. Iran discovered it could control the Strait of Hormuz with mines and missiles after losing much of its military, giving it unprecedented leverage that the U.S. blockade now directly contests. The blockade forces a high-stakes endurance test: the U.S. aims to economically strangle Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps within months, while Iran bets Trump will face domestic pressure from rising gas prices before midterm elections.