Trump announces US blockade of Strait of Hormuz, warns Iranians of being ‘blown to hell’
The US plans to block ‘all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports’ starting on April 13.
US President Donald Trump has announced a sweeping naval operation targeting the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important oil transit chokepoints. Trump announced the move in a social media post on April 12, 2026. It was followed by an announcement later in the day by the US Central Command saying that American forces will begin “impartially” implementing the blockade against “all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports” starting on April 13 at 10pm Hong Kong time (10am US Eastern Time). The move risks deepening a global crisis and further complicating US ties with Beijing in the countdown to Trump’s expected summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in May.