The US military announced it would initiate a blockade of all Iranian ports starting Monday at 14:00 GMT. This follows President Donald Trump’s declaration of a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway through which one-fifth of the world’s crude oil supply typically transits. This significant escalation comes after long-term peace talks concluded on Saturday in Islamabad, Pakistan, without an agreement, just days after the US and Iran had agreed to a ceasefire. Trump’s latest threat has driven oil prices above $100 a barrel and caused jitters in Asian markets, sparking concerns about extended disruptions to global energy supplies. Meanwhile, Israeli attacks on Lebanon persist as the US and Iran appear to be on a collision course. Here’s a summary of the latest developments on day 45 of the conflict:
In Iran:
Following President Trump’s Sunday decision to blockade the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) issued a stern warning: any military vessels approaching the strait would be deemed a breach of the ceasefire and met with a harsh and decisive response, signaling a high risk of dangerous escalation. The IRGC asserted that Iranian security forces maintain full control over the Strait of Hormuz and cautioned that adversaries would find themselves in a ‘deadly vortex’ should they make any ‘wrong move.’
Iran’s navy chief, Shahram Irani, dismissed Trump’s threat as ‘ridiculous and funny.’ State television further reported that the Iranian military was ‘monitoring and supervising all movements of the aggressive American army in the region.’
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that Iran had faced ‘maximalism, shifting goalposts, and blockade’ despite being “just inches away” from an “Islamabad MoU.” He remarked, “Zero lessons learned. Good will begets good will. Enmity begets enmity.”
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran’s parliament speaker and lead negotiator in the weekend talks, affirmed that his country would not yield to Trump’s earlier threats regarding the strait. Iranian news agencies quoted him saying, “If they fight, we will fight, and if they come forward with logic, we will deal with logic.” Ghalibaf also took to social media, posting a map of Washington-area gasoline prices with the comment: “Enjoy the current pump figures. With the so-called ‘blockade’. Soon you’ll be nostalgic for $4–$5 gas.”
Mohsen Rezaee, a member of Iran’s Expediency Council, warned that the US plan was “doomed to failure” and asserted that Tehran possessed “untapped leverage” to counteract it.
In the US:
The US military confirmed its intention to blockade all Iranian Gulf ports starting Monday at 14:00 GMT, a move that would effectively grant it control over maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. This waterway is strategically vital, as nearly all oil and gas exports from Gulf nations typically pass through it.
US Central Command stated that the navy would interdict any vessel, regardless of its nation of origin, attempting to traverse the Strait of Hormuz if it is bound for or departing from Iran. However, vessels transiting the strait to and from non-Iranian ports would not be obstructed.
President Trump had announced on Sunday that the US Navy would commence the blockade of the strait “immediately” following the breakdown of peace talks between the US and Iran. He also took to social media, declaring that US forces would intercept any vessel in international waters that had paid a toll to Iran, asserting, “No one who pays an illegal toll will have safe passage on the high seas.”
Trump also publicly criticized Pope Leo XIV, labeling him “weak on crime” and “terrible for foreign policy,” after the pontiff called for an end to the conflict with Iran. The US president further indicated his indifference regarding Iran’s potential return to negotiations with the United States, given the failure of the weekend talks in Pakistan to yield an agreement.
In Lebanon:
Lebanese official media reported widespread Israeli strikes across the southern regions of the country. The health ministry confirmed at least five fatalities, bringing the total death toll to 2,055.
In Israel, Channel 12 reported that an intruding drone triggered alarms in Metula and its vicinity. The drone was reportedly intercepted, and residents were subsequently advised it was safe to leave their shelters.
Hezbollah claimed responsibility for launching a “rocket barrage” into northern Israel. The Lebanese armed group stated this was in retaliation for what it described as the Israeli military’s violation of the ceasefire agreement and “repeated attacks on the villages of the south.” Hezbollah specified targeting the Israeli town of Kiryat Shmona with rockets at 1:20 AM local time on Monday (23:20 GMT, Sunday), and the settlement of Doviv at 2:45 AM (00:46 GMT).
Israeli forces conducted further raids into southern Lebanon. Al Jazeera Arabic correspondents reported two Israeli airstrikes near the town of Choukine, with additional Israeli air attacks noted in the city of Nabatieh and the town of Mayfadoun.
Lebanon’s Prime Minister, Nawaf Salam, declared, “We will continue to work to stop this war, to ensure the Israeli withdrawal from all our lands, the return of all the prisoners, to rebuild our destroyed villages and towns, and the safe return of the displaced.”
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) reported that an Israeli tank twice rammed peacekeeping vehicles in the south, a region where Israel and Hezbollah have been engaged in conflict since the previous month.
In Israel:
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited troops operating in southern Lebanon, asserting that Israeli forces had successfully neutralized the threat of a Hezbollah invasion. In a video released by his office, Netanyahu stated, “The war continues, including within the security zone in Lebanon.” Israel maintains that the current Middle East ceasefire does not extend to its military operations in Lebanon, which are specifically aimed at Hezbollah.
Strait of Hormuz and global energy crisis:
Following the collapse of peace talks and President Trump’s order for a naval blockade of Iranian ports, Asian stock markets opened lower, and oil prices soared past $100 a barrel. Japan’s Nikkei 225 dropped by 0.84 percent, while the Topix index declined by 0.42 percent. South Korea’s Kospi also saw a decrease of 1.83 percent. Maritime intelligence firm Lloyd’s List reported that shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, already operating at reduced levels, “immediately halted” after the US president’s blockade announcement, with several vessels reportedly turning back.
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