AND IT'S HAPPENED AGAIN. Just days after briefly reopening, the vital shipping lane through the Strait of Hormuz has been closed by Iran. The closure comes in direct response to continued American pressure on Iranian oil exports.

Sources close to the situation tell us that as ships tried to re-enter the strait this morning, they were met with a barrage of gunfire from Iranian forces positioned along the shoreline. One ship was hit, though there are no reports of injuries or casualties at this time.

"This brazen act by Iran is an assault on international trade and freedom of navigation," said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in response to today's events. "The world must stand together against these kinds of aggressive acts."

To be fair, representatives for the Iranian government have not yet commented on these latest developments but given their track record, we do not expect a positive statement.

The last time Iran closed off the strait in 2019 under President Trump's maximum pressure campaign, it sent oil prices soaring and created international outrage. This is still developing...

And that is not even the most shocking part: intelligence sources reveal that prior to today's incident, Iranian ships were seen loading weapons and munitions onto a cargo ship that was later sunk offshore.

This escalation comes as Iran has continued to defy US sanctions imposed by the Trump administration -- sanctions that the Biden-era government has yet to address or reverse. Will this be enough for the US to take military action?