The Iranian regime has resumed its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz the day after President Donald Trump announced that Tehran had reopened the waterway.
Iran initially agreed to allow shipping through the strait after Trump gave a two-week extension on his deadline to come to a peace agreement. But it appears the regime has reneged on that promise.
From The Associated Press:
The standoff over the Strait of Hormuz quickly escalated again Saturday as Iran reversed its reopening of the crucial waterway and fired on ships attempting to pass, in retaliation after the United States pressed ahead with its blockade choking off Iranian ports.
Confusion over the strait, through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil passes, threatened to deepen the energy crisis roiling the global economy and push the two countries toward renewed conflict. The ceasefire between them is due to run out by mid-next week, and Pakistani mediators were working to put together a new round of direct negotiations to keep the truce going.
Iran’s joint military command said Saturday that “control of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state ... under strict management and control of the armed forces.” It warned that it would continue to block transit through the strait as long as the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports remained in effect.
Revolutionary Guard gunboats on Saturday opened fire on a tanker transiting the strait and an unknown projectile hit a container vessel, damaging some of the containers, the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said without identifying the vessels. TankerTrackers.com reported that two Indian-flagged vessels were forced to turn around after being fired on by Iran, including a supertanker carrying Iraqi oil.
BREAKING: Iran has announced it is again closing the Strait of Hormuz. The military says the US must lift its blockade of Iranian ports before the Strait is opened again. pic.twitter.com/Gm8bNIfmwo
— Al Jazeera Breaking News (@AJENews) April 18, 2026
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Washington responded to Iran’s continued blockade of the waterway by blocking vessels coming to and from Iranian ports. The regime has lost an estimated $1.7 billion as the result of the U.S. blockade.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump announced, “The Strait of Hormuz is completely open and ready for business and full passage, but the naval blockade will remain in full force and effect as it pertains to Iran only, until such time as our transaction with Iran is 100% complete.”
Two vessels traveling through the strait came under fire from Iranian forces. Reuters reported that the Indian government summoned Iran’s ambassador after the regime targeted one of its ships transporting oil through the waterway.
Trump said the U.S. is having “very good conversations” with Tehran, but warned that the regime cannot use another blockade as leverage over the U.S.
The president has not yet issued a statement about Iran’s renewed blockade.
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