A battle for control of the Strait of Hormuz could be the Iran War's new endgame.

That's where we're starting The Seven from the Washington Post.

I'm Hannah Jewell. It's Monday, March 23rd.

Let's get you caught up with today's seven stories.

Despite heavy losses from U.S. and Israeli strikes, Iran is not giving up its fight.

Instead, Iran is escalating attacks on its neighbors as the war enters its fourth week.

According to diplomats in the region, Iran is betting it can ratchet up global economic pain

faster than the Trump administration can relieve it with military force.

Nowhere is that pain more critical than in the Strait of Hormuz.

Roughly one-fifth of the world's fuel shipments transit that narrow passage, or they did,

until Iran nearly entirely shut it down.

That has led to a brewing energy crisis.

On Saturday, President Donald Trump gave Iran a 48-hour deadline to reopen the critical waterway.

He threatened to obliterate the country's power plants if it doesn't comply.

A contingent of 4,500 U.S. sailors and Marines is heading to the Middle East.

U.S. and Israeli officials increasingly see securing the

strait as the war's main objective. Earlier goals of regime change and ending Iran's ability

to obtain a nuclear weapon now seem out of reach. President Trump said he is sending ICE agents to U.S. airports today. That's number two.

If you've been to an airport recently, you don't need me to tell you that security lines are miserably long.

A partial government shutdown is putting strain on TSA officers who missed their first paycheck last week.

That's led to fewer open lanes and fewer employees staffing checkpoints.

Today, the Trump administration plans to send ICE agents to help.

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