The United States said it could keep its naval blockade of Iran in place indefinitely, signaling a further escalation in economic pressure as ceasefire efforts stall and security deteriorates around the Strait of Hormuz. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the U.S. Navy could sustain the operation by rotating ships in and out, while Iran insisted the waterway would remain closed until its conditions, including sanctions relief and the release of frozen assets, are met. The confrontation is hitting trade through one of the world’s most important energy chokepoints, where roughly a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas had moved before the war began in February. Shipping traffic has dropped sharply, and two vessels from Abu Dhabi National Oil Company were attacked on Thursday evening in an incident the United Arab Emirates government condemned as Iranian. The dispute is also tightening global energy markets. The International Energy Agency (global energy watchdog) now expects world oil supply to fall by 4.3 million barrels per day this year, or about 4%, up from a projected 3.7 million barrels per day decline a month ago. President Donald Trump has paired threats of harder military action with a preference this week for economic pressure, even as domestic political strains mount over an unpopular war and high fuel prices.