SOURCE :- SIASAT NEWS
US President Donald Trump on Sunday, April 12, said the US Navy will immediately begin the process of blockading the Strait of Hormuz, hours after talks with Iran in Islamabad ended without agreement.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said the US Navy would start “the process of BLOCKADING any and all Ships trying to enter, or leave” the strategic waterway, a vital route for global oil shipments.
“At some point, we will reach an ‘ALL BEING ALLOWED TO GO IN, ALL BEING ALLOWED TO GO OUT’ basis, but Iran has not allowed that to happen,” he wrote, blaming Tehran for restricting safe maritime passage.
He further stated that US forces would target vessels accused of paying what he described as “illegal tolls” to Iran. “I have also instructed our Navy to seek and interdict every vessel in International Waters that has paid a toll to Iran,” Trump said. “No one who pays an illegal toll will have safe passage on the high seas.”
The escalation follows prolonged negotiations between Washington and Tehran hosted in Islamabad, which failed to resolve key disputes, particularly over Iran’s nuclear programme. Officials familiar with the talks described the discussions as tense, with no breakthrough despite hours of engagement.
The Strait of Hormuz, located between Iran and Oman, carries a significant portion of the world’s oil exports, making any disruption a potential trigger for global energy market volatility.
Trump also accused Iran of using threats such as naval mines to justify restricting passage, calling it “world extortion”, and warned of further military action if US or allied vessels were targeted.
The latest developments have heightened concerns of a broader escalation in the Gulf region, with the possibility of other countries joining any maritime enforcement effort. Analysts warn that any blockade or disruption in the Strait could have far-reaching geopolitical and economic consequences.
Israel says war costs exceed USD 11bn
Israel’s finance ministry said the war it launched on Iran with the United States has cost the country more than USD 11bn, according to a preliminary estimate.
The ministry cited 35bn shekels (USD 11.52bn) in budgetary expenses, with 22bn shekels allocated to defence. The amount has already been incorporated into Israel’s 2026 budget, it added.
Iran says over 3,300 killed in war
The head of Iran’s Forensic Medicine Organisation, Abbas Masjedi Arani, said authorities have identified the bodies of 3,375 people killed during the US-Israel war on Iran.
In a statement to Iranian media, Arani said the death toll included 2,875 men and nearly 500 women, offering one of the clearest official breakdowns so far of casualties from the conflict.
ADNOC chief warns against Hormuz disruption
The Strait of Hormuz has never been Iran’s to close or restrict navigation through, said Sultan Al-Jaber, chief executive of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC).
In a post on X, he said any disruption would threaten energy, food and health security worldwide, warning that setting such a precedent would be “dangerous and unacceptable”. “The world simply cannot afford it and must not allow it,” he added.
Iran says over 900 schools damaged in conflict
At least 942 schools across Iran have been damaged, including 18 that were completely destroyed, an Iranian government spokesperson said, according to the Tasnim News Agency. The spokesperson added that schools requiring repairs are expected to be restored within two to three months.
Trump says Iran is unwilling to give up its nuclear ambitions
In a second post on his Truth Social platform, the US president Donald Trump said Iran had failed to keep its promise to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, accusing Tehran of causing global anxiety and disruption.
He alleged that Iran had threatened the waterway by suggesting the presence of naval mines, saying this had deterred shipping despite uncertainty over their existence. Trump also said he had been briefed on the Islamabad talks by senior officials, adding that the key issue remained Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
“Iran is unwilling to give up its nuclear ambitions,” he said, reiterating that no agreement would be acceptable if Tehran retained nuclear capabilities.
SOURCE : SIASAT
