The United States military has conducted a second round of precision attacks against Iranian missile and drone sites, naval assets, and coastal defenses, while simultaneously imposing a naval blockade on all Iranian ports and coastal areas. CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper said the operations are meant to hold Iran responsible for recent acts of aggression that have endangered civilian lives, according to The Hill. These actions follow a series of Iranian strikes on commercial vessels and U.S. bases that reportedly killed or injured crew members. The escalating conflict around the strategic Strait of Hormuz has drawn condemnation from the United Nations and several Gulf states, while energy markets have seen rising oil prices amid fears of disrupted global shipping and supply chains.