US President Donald Trump made a big announcement on Sunday, hours after peace talks with Tehran failed on the issue of nuclear weapons. He said the US Navy would immediately begin a blockade to prevent ships from entering or exiting the Strait of Hormuz. At the same time, the American Central Command (CENTCOM) has also announced the date and time. This step of America will further increase tension in the region.
U.S. Central Command said forces will begin a blockade of all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports at 10 a.m. Eastern Time (ET) today, per the president's announcement. This blockade will apply to ships of all countries entering or leaving Iranian ports and coastal areas, including all Iranian ports in the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman.
He said CENTCOM forces will not hinder freedom of navigation for ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports. Additional information will be provided to commercial seafarers through a formal notice before the start of the blockade. All sailors are advised to monitor information broadcasts to seafarers and contact U.S. Naval forces on bridge-to-bridge channel 16 while operating in the Gulf of Oman and around Hormuz.
US Central Command tweets, “US Central Command (CENTCOM) forces will begin implementing a blockade of all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports on April 13 at 10 am ET, in accordance with the President's proclamation.”
“The blockade will be enforced impartially pic.twitter.com/lGuWrHsjpp
— ANI (@ANI) April 12, 2026
Trump said in a post on Truth Social that he has directed the US Navy to identify and intercept all vessels in international waters that have paid tolls to Iran. He said that whoever pays illegal toll will not be allowed to travel safely in the sea. He claimed that other countries will also join this blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
The Strait of Hormuz is a very important and narrow sea route, through which about one-fifth of the world's total oil supply is transported. Trump had said that he wanted money and more importantly, he wanted nukes. Apart from this, we are fully prepared and ready and our army will completely destroy the remaining part of Iran at the appropriate time.
Since the war between the US and Israel began on February 28, at least 3,000 people have been killed in Iran, 2,020 in Lebanon, 23 in Israel and more than 12 in the Gulf Arab countries, and there has been permanent damage to infrastructure in about six countries in West Asia. Iran's hold on the Strait of Hormuz has largely cut the Persian Gulf and its oil and gas exports out of reach of the global economy, sending fuel prices skyrocketing.
