The U.S. military warned Iran Wednesday that any attempt to disrupt the flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz "will not be tolerated." The warning came one day after Iran’s vice president threatened to bring shipments through the waterway -- used to transport 17 percent of oil traded worldwide -- to a halt should its own oil be embargoed. A U.S. Navy spokeswoman told Reuters that the 5th Fleet stationed in the area is "always ready to counter malevolent actions to ensure freedom of navigation." Iran has been conducting naval exercises around the strait, which has driven a six-day rally on oil that broke Wednesday. European Union ministers have said that they are considering new sanctions on Iran, which could include an Iranian oil embargo.
