President Trump escalated tensions with Iran by announcing a U.S. naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz after weekend talks failed over Iran’s nuclear program. Trump said the United States would stop vessels using the strait, clear Iranian mines, and target any ships paying Iran for passage. The move immediately affected global shipping, with two supertankers turning around rather than enter the Persian Gulf. Energy leaders in the UAE warned that any closure of the strait threatens the global economy and could disrupt oil, food, and medical supplies worldwide.
Trump ordered a U.S. blockade of the Strait of Hormuz after Iran talks failed, warning Tehran it would not profit from “extortion” as tanker traffic dropped and fears of a wider conflict surged. #Trump #StraitOfHormuz #Iran #USNavy #OilPrices pic.twitter.com/q4LFqdHL1D
— Matthew Brady (@mattbrady775) April 12, 2026
- President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. Navy will begin blockading the Strait of Hormuz after peace talks with Iran in Islamabad failed to produce an agreement on Iran’s nuclear program.
- Trump said the U.S. would stop ships entering or leaving the strait and would also intercept vessels in international waters that paid Iran for passage.
- Trump stated that the U.S. military would begin clearing Iranian naval mines and warned that any Iranian attack on U.S. forces or commercial ships would trigger a major military response.
- Trump said the blockade would continue until Iran stops using the strait as leverage and implied that other countries may join the operation.
- Two empty supertankers reportedly turned around near the Strait of Hormuz after the talks collapsed, while three loaded tankers had passed through earlier before negotiations ended.
- UAE oil chief Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber warned that any attempt by Iran to close the Strait of Hormuz would be “illegal, dangerous, and unacceptable,” calling it a threat to global energy, food, and health security.
- U.S. warships reportedly entered the area to begin mine-clearing operations, while shipping traffic through the strait remained sharply reduced.
- Prediction markets cited in the article showed the chances of a U.S.-Iran peace deal and normal shipping traffic returning by the end of April falling sharply.
