President Trump announced today that the United States Navy will immediately begin blockading all vessels attempting to enter or leave the Strait of Hormuz.

In his statement, Trump described Iran’s actions as “world extortion,” stating that U.S. forces would interdict any ship in international waters that has paid an illegal toll to Tehran and destroy mines allegedly placed by Iran in the strait. He warned that any Iranian who engages in hostile acts against U.S. vessels or peaceful ships would face severe consequences.

The announcement follows a fragile two-week cease-fire between the United States and Iran, which President Trump brokered after threatening “an entire civilization will die tonight” if Tehran did not cut a deal. However, negotiations in Islamabad involving U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Iranian officials concluded without an agreement, as Vance reported that “we have not reached an agreement.”

According to U.S. officials, Iran has used drones and missiles to deter oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, which carries approximately one-fifth of the world’s oil. Iran claims to have placed mines in the strait but has lost track of them and has attempted to charge a toll of $1 per barrel for ships to transit.

The U.S. blockade announcement is expected to scuttle hopes for an imminent end to the conflict following recent peace talks and threaten to exacerbate the global economic crisis that has intensified since Iran began restricting access to this critical chokepoint.