Trump Announces Blockade to Take Effect at 10 PM Tonight: Strait of Hormuz Fully Closed, Two Ships Turn Around Urgently

13:38 April 13 News: U.S. President Donald Trump officially announced that the U.S. military will impose a naval blockade on Iran at 10 a.m. Eastern Time on April 13 (10 p.m. Beijing Time tonight) and simultaneously begin clearing the mines laid by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz. As soon as the blockade news was released, shipping in the Strait of Hormuz immediately came to a complete standstill, and at least two ships that were originally sailing out of the strait turned around urgently to avoid danger. Iran quickly responded strongly, clearly stating that it will never tolerate the U.S. blockade. This crucial energy waterway, which carries one-fifth of the world's oil trade, is facing the most severe blocking situation since the escalation of the Iran crisis.

As the world's most important energy transportation channel, shipping in the Strait of Hormuz has once again come to a comprehensive standstill, with the blocking pressure reaching its peak since the escalation of the Iran crisis, posing a major impact on the global energy transportation pattern.

It is reported that after arriving at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland on Air Force One, Trump announced the blockade plan to the media, clarifying the specific time node of the blockade — 10 a.m. Eastern Time on April 13, corresponding to 10 p.m. Beijing Time on April 13.

In a post on social media, Trump clearly stated: "Effective immediately, the U.S. Navy will begin blocking any ships attempting to enter or leave the Strait of Hormuz." He also issued a strong warning, stating that he has issued clear instructions to the U.S. Navy to intercept all ships that have paid tolls to Iran; at the same time, he announced that the U.S. will fully clear the mines laid by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz, and threatened that any Iranian personnel who open fire on U.S. military or peaceful ships will be "blown to pieces."

Trump also claimed that many other countries are cooperating with the U.S. to prevent Iran from selling oil. At the same time, he emphasized that "many ships are sailing to the United States, loaded with oil and then transported away, and these ships do not need to pass through the Strait of Hormuz." Trump said that thanks to the U.S.'s intensive oil extraction, the current U.S. oil reserves are "more than the combined reserves of Russia and Saudi Arabia."

After the blockade order was issued, shipping in the Strait of Hormuz was almost immediately interrupted. According to a report by Lloyd's List, a British shipping media outlet, at least two ships that were originally sailing out of the strait turned around urgently after learning of the blockade news to avoid falling into the blocked area. Meanwhile, the military advisor to Iran's Supreme Leader quickly stated, clearly pointing out that Iran will not tolerate the U.S. blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, and the confrontation between the U.S. and Iran further escalated, with the risk of direct conflict continuing to rise.

Before the Blockade Order: Shipping in the Strait Was Already Operating at a Low Level

Before Trump officially announced the blockade order, shipping in the Strait of Hormuz was not completely interrupted, but it was already under obvious pressure, with a significant decline in navigable capacity. According to Lloyd's List, on April 12, although the shipping volume in the strait was lower than usual, basic navigation was still maintained; on April 11, the number of oil tankers passing through the strait increased slightly, and some shipping companies tried to seize the window period when the ceasefire agreement was still in place to smoothly sail the ships stranded in the Middle East Gulf out of the strait, avoiding the risk of subsequent escalation of the situation.

The failure of the U.S.-Iran negotiations to reach an agreement became the direct trigger for this blockade escalation. In another post on social media, Trump accused Iran, saying that "Iran promised to open the Strait of Hormuz, but they deliberately failed to fulfill their promise," and stated that Iran's actions have brought anxiety, chaos and pain to many people and countries around the world.

U.S. Military Action Escalates: Mine-Clearing and Interception Measures Advance Simultaneously

While announcing the blockade order, the U.S. military has launched relevant military operations around the Strait of Hormuz. According to Lloyd's List citing news from the U.S. Central Command, two U.S. Navy warships passed through the Strait of Hormuz on the day before Trump announced the blockade order (Saturday, April 12), which is the first time U.S. warships have crossed the strait since the outbreak of the war at the end of February this year, and their core mission is to clear the mines laid by Iran in the strait.

Trump clearly listed three core instructions in his post: first, the U.S. Navy will intercept all ships that have paid tolls to Iran in international waters; second, fully destroy all mines laid by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz; third, strongly counterattack any Iranian personnel and forces that open fire on U.S. military or peaceful ships. At the same time, he also issued a direct warning to ship owners around the world that any ship that has paid tolls to Iran will face the risk of being detained by the U.S. Navy.

Iran Responds Strongly, Confrontation Continues to Escalate

In the face of the U.S. blockade announcement, Iran quickly responded strongly without any compromise. The military advisor to Iran's Supreme Leader clearly stated that Iran will never tolerate the U.S. blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and will take all necessary measures to safeguard its own rights and interests. This statement means that the risk of direct confrontation between the U.S. and Iran in this crucial waterway, which carries about one-fifth of the world's oil trade, has increased significantly, and the direction of the situation is full of uncertainty.

At present, all ships in the Strait of Hormuz have generally stopped sailing, and the uncertainty facing the shipping market has risen sharply. Reports from Lloyd's List show that all traffic in the strait "seems to have stopped," and the direction of the subsequent situation will depend entirely on the subsequent diplomatic communication and military movements of both the U.S. and Iran.

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