What to KnowIn his first statement since being appointed, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei vowed that Iran would continue to block the Strait of Hormuz and assure citizens that “we will not refrain from avenging the blood of your martyrs.” Iran attacked commercial ships around the S trait of Hormuz and Iraq’s port of Basra, escalating a campaign of squeezing the oil-rich Gulf region as global energy concerns mount.The U.S. is “simply not ready” to escort oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, Energy Secretary Chris Wright said this morning.Over a thousand people in Iran and hundreds more throughout the region have been killed. At least seven American soldiers died in retaliatory attacks, with dozens more wounded.As the war with Iran enters its 13th day, the financial costs continue to mount. The Pentagon told Congress the first six days alone cost more than $11.3 billion. ...read more read less