Iran has reportedly established a "toll booth" in the Strait of Hormuz, charging ships up to 10% of their cargo value in Chinese Yuan to pass. The US Fifth Fleet has largely fled its headquarters in Bahrain to avoid Iranian missile range, leaving the Persian Gulf a "no-go zone" for American warships. The global energy crisis is exacerbated by the high cost of LNG shipping, which has increased fourfold since the destruction of the Nord Stream pipeline.




















