Neil Freiman

blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, escalating the conflict with Iran after marathon peace talks failed to produce a breakthrough over the weekend.

You might be thinking, wait a second, isn't Iran already blockading the Strait of Hormuz?

Yes, and what the U.S.

intends to do is a blockade of a blockade, blockade-ception.

Think of it like a chess match where one player's piece is under attack, but instead of moving that piece in danger to safety, they decide to put pressure on a separate opponent's piece.

It's a risky high-stakes move to undermine Iran's main source of...

It's a risky, high-stakes move to undermine Iran's main source of leverage in the war.

Energy experts have been pushing the Trump administration to apply the blockade strategy for weeks, Bloomberg reported.

Here is the rationale.

In the current status quo, Iran has full control over the world's most important energy waterway, but it's not keeping us straight entirely closed.

It is allowing its own ships to go through, as well as ships from several countries like China and India who have to cough up a toll.

One estimate from Frontier Investments suggests Iran is making $150 million a month from those tolls, a huge financial lifeline.

With the U.S.

's planned blockade, which begins at 10 a.m.

Eastern today, it's aiming to cut off that revenue source.

As President Trump told Fox News, it's going to be all or none, meaning Iran will need to open the strait to all ships or the U.S.

won't let any get by into the open seas.

The economic brinksmanship comes after a J.D.

Vance-led delegation to Pakistan couldn't agree to terms with Iran on a resolution to the war

which is currently in a tenuous two-week ceasefire.