Overview
- The U.S. military launched the port blockade on Monday after weekend talks in Islamabad collapsed, aiming to pressure Tehran to lift its squeeze on the Strait of Hormuz.
- Central Command said it will stop ships entering or leaving Iranian ports but will not impede neutral transit through the strait to non‑Iranian destinations.
- President Trump warned that any Iranian fast‑attack boats nearing the cordon would be destroyed, and Iran threatened that no port in the Gulf or Gulf of Oman would be safe if its harbors are targeted.
- Shipping data showed uneven effects as some vessels initially turned back and the Chinese‑owned, U.S.-sanctioned tanker Rich Starry later transited the waterway.
- Britain and France refused to join the blockade and plan a Friday conference for a separate defensive mission, as oil hovered near $100 and mediators worked to reconvene talks before the April 22 ceasefire deadline.