U.S. President Donald Trump speaks about research into mental health treatments next to U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Joe Rogan, and Americans for Ibogaine CEO W. Bryan Hubbard in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., April 18, 2026.
| Photo Credit:
NATHAN HOWARD
Hours after Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz in less than 24 hours of opening it, US President Donald Trump has issued a sharp warning to Tehran, asserting that the Islamic Republic has been significantly weakened and is no longer in a position to “blackmail” the America by shutting the waterway. “They (Iran) have no navy, no air force. They have no leaders; they have nothing. But we are talking to them. They wanted to close the Strait again, as they have been doing for years. They can’t blackmail us. They have killed a lot of people. A lot of your fellow soldiers have been killed over the years by Iran. They have gotten away with murder for 47 years. They are not getting away with it anymore,” Trump said, speaking from his Oval office.
Brief reopening collapses as IRGC restores blockade
Earlier, the global hope for a stable energy corridor was short-lived as Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Saturday reimposed a strict naval blockade on the Strait of Hormuz.
The move followed a fleeting 24-hour window on Friday during which over a dozen tankers–including three previously sanctioned vessels–successfully transited the vital waterway for the first time in nearly two months, as per UK-based news agency.
At least eight tankers crossed early on Saturday, with maritime tracking data from TankerTrackers.com listing four carrying liquefied petroleum gas, two oil and chemicals, one crude oil and one another oil products. The reopening, declared by Iran’s Foreign Ministry on Friday, collapsed after US President Donald Trump clarified that the American naval blockade of Iranian ports would remain “in full force” until a comprehensive nuclear and security deal is signed. While no specific new measures were announced, the remarks signal continued US vigilance over Iran’s actions in strategic waterways and reinforce Washington’s position against any attempts to alter the status quo in the region through coercive means.
As the “status quo” of the blockade returned on Saturday morning, maritime data and security agencies reported immediate escalations.
Two IRGC gunboats reportedly opened fire on a commercial tanker approximately 23 miles northeast of Oman. The vessel and crew were reported safe, but the incident effectively signalled the end of the brief truce.
Indian vessels forced to retreat amid firing in Strait of Hormuz
As per TankerTrackers.com, Inc, two Indian vessels–including a massive supertanker–were forced to flee the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday after coming under direct fire from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy.
The incident, captured in dramatic Channel 16 VHF radio recordings, signals the definitive end of a brief 24-hour “opening” of the strait and places New Delhi in a delicate diplomatic crossfire.
“According to two Channel 16 audio recordings captured today, two Indian vessels were forced back west out of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran’s Sepah (IRGC) Navy. Firing was involved. One of the vessels is an Indian-flagged VLCC supertanker carrying 2 million barrels of Iraqi oil,” TankerTrackers.com, Inc posted on X.
Published on April 18, 2026
