WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the US will take investment deals with Gulf states instead of fees for ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

"Based on highly productive conversations with Middle East leadership, I have decided to replace the 20 percent United States Reimbursement Fee with Trade and Investment Deals that the various Gulf States will be making into the United States," Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

Trump said the Strait of Hormuz would remain open to all ship traffic except for Iran, while the naval blockade will continue.

"BY FAR, the Strait of Hormuz is open to ALL Ship traffic except for Iran," he said. "We will therefore have a FULL Blockade, but only on Ships coming to and from Iranian ports, or carrying anything have to do with Iranian cargo," he added.

The decision came one day after he proposed a 20-percent fee on shipping to reimburse the US for protecting the key waterway.

Trump said he had formally notified Congress on Friday that the country had resumed military operations against Iran.

US resumes blockade in Hormuz

Meanwhile, the US military on Tuesday announced the resumption of the blockade in the Strait of Hormuz.

"US forces resumed the naval blockade against vessels transiting to and from Iranian ports and coastal areas today at 4 pm Eastern Time," the US Central Command said in a statement posted on social media platform X.

"There are currently more than 20 US Navy warships and hundreds of military aircraft operating across the Middle East. American forces remain vigilant, lethal, and ready," it said.

The US forces carried out an additional round of strikes against Iranian targets, an hour before resuming the blockade in the strait, according to the US Central Command.