White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that the president and his energy team are closely monitoring the markets, speaking with industry leaders, and the U.S. Army is analyzing additional options following the president's directive to keep the Strait of Hormuz open. Leavitt avoided details about those options but emphasized that 'the president is not afraid to use them.' The average price of regular gasoline in the U.S. reached $3.54 per gallon (3.85 liters) on Tuesday, the highest level since mid-2024. Prices have risen by 21% in just one month, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA). Attacks on tankers and cargo ships transiting through Hormuz, which have already left seven sailors dead according to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), coupled with persistent threats from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps to continue them, have effectively closed the strait to traffic.
