Tom Bowman

warships or commercial ships trying to transit through the Strait of Hormuz or attacking the energy sector of Gulf allies.

The Iranians have said they have major untouched levers to pull in response to the blockade, but we don't know what that means.

At this point, it's an economic war trying to get Iran back to negotiating table.

NPR's Tom Bowman reporting.

The challenge is getting to a point where Iran is no longer a military threat, but that seems elusive.

The U.S.

and Israel continue to bomb military sites in Iran.

There's more than 17,000 targets have been hit to date, but the regime is still in place, despite the now nearly five weeks of attacks on the country.

I'm paying a dollar ten more per gallon for gas than I was a month ago.

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And fertilizer prices have gone up and the growing season is going to start soon.

Liquefied natural gas in Europe has doubled in cost.

And it's only going to get worse for all of us if they don't get that straight open somehow.

And that's a laborious process.

To do that, you have to create a combat air patrol, first of all, 50 square mile radius, I'm told, and then send in minesweepers to make sure you get all those.

And then after that, destroyers would have to go in to basically escort the oil tankers through the strait.

So that is really key here, I think.

Looks like elements of the 1st Brigade Combat Team, known as the Devil Brigade, will likely head out in the coming days.

And I'm hearing they'll first go to Kuwait.

And then the big question is, OK, where do they go from there?