Donald Trump declared himself 'Guardian Angel of the Strait' of Hormuz last night as he vowed to charge ships to use the waterway.

The US President revealed his plan as tankers and cargo vessels came to a standstill due to an Iranian blockade.

It marked the first time Mr Trump has threatened to impose a toll system on companies and countries. The charge would be 20 per cent of the value of cargo.

The fee would reimburse the US for protecting shipping.

He also announced that the US is to resume blockading Iranian ports – a mission aborted last month as part of a settlement between America and Iran.

Last night, the United Nations' shipping agency, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), said there was 'no legal basis' for any tolls.

The plan also appears to contradict previous US public statements that Iran should not charge countries or commercial companies to use the waterway.

On June 23 US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told CBS News: 'No country is allowed to charge tolls or fees on an international waterway'. 

And in April, Mr Trump said: 'We're not going to let Iran make money selling oil to people they like and not people they don't like.' 

His announcement in a live phone-in on Fox News, confirmed in messages on social media, came as the US continued its bombing of Iran.

The US's Centcom headquarters said 'dozens of targets' were hit by fighter jets and, in a first for the US Navy, one-way aerial attack drones.

Iran retaliated by taking aim at US bases in the region.

It claimed to have destroyed Patriot air defence systems and a radar system in Kuwait and a drone command and control centre in Bahrain. Prince Hassan air base in Jordan was also struck, according to Iran.

A defiant Trump told Fox News: 'We are taking over the Strait. They have nothing. We hit them very hard last night. We had a deal. Then they broke it. 

'We're just going to hit them very hard. And we are going to keep the Strait. We will become the guardian of the Strait. Maybe they should call me the 'Guardian Angel of the Strait'.

'We should be reimbursed when we do that – because the other nations are very wealthy and they are on our side. We cannot be expected to do that for nothing, as we have done for many years.' 

China would be among the countries most affected as Iran provides more than 10 per cent of its oil imports – more than a million barrels per day.

On Truth Social, Mr Trump wrote: 'The Hormuz Strait is open and will remain open, with or without Iran. We are reinstating the Iranian blockade, so named because it is only stopping Iran's ships entering and leaving. 

All other countries will have fair and open use of the Strait. But as such, and as a matter of fairness, will be reimbursed at the rate of 20 per cent on all cargo shipped for any and all costs necessary to do the job of providing safety and security to this volatile section of the world.' 

UK petrol prices are now set to rise on the back of higher crude oil costs. Last night Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi responded: 'Iran has always been the GUARDIAN of the Strait and will remain so FOREVER.'

Despite the threats, peace talks are understood to be continuing, with Qatar and Oman acting as intermediaries.