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President Trump says US Navy will begin blockade of Strait of Hormuz

PHOTO: A vessel passes through Strait of Hormuz following the two-week temporary ceasefire reached between the United States and Iran on the condition that the strait be reopened, seen in Oman on April 8, 2026.
2:54
Shady Alassar/Anadolu via Getty Images
US to blockade ships to and from Iran's ports
By David Brennan, Jon Haworth, Nadine El-Bawab, Kevin Shalvey
Last Updated: April 8, 2026, 5:09 PM

President Donald Trump announced "major combat operations" against Iran on Feb. 28, with massive joint U.S.-Israeli strikes targeting military and government sites.

Trump set a deadline for Iran to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face broad strikes on its critical infrastructure. Hours before the deadline expired, Trump said he had agreed to suspend planned bombing for two weeks if Iran agreed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi then said that "safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be possible via coordination with Iran's Armed Forces and with due consideration of technical limitations."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he supported the ceasefire with Iran, but that Lebanon -- where intense Israeli strikes continued -- was not covered by the agreement, despite Iranian protests.

Key Headlines

  • US blockade of Iranian ports to begin Monday, CENTCOM says
  • Military vessels approaching Strait of Hormuz 'will be met with severe force,' IRGC says
  • DOJ will 'vigorously prosecute' buyers or sellers of sanctioned Iranian oil, Blanche says
  • Despite blockade announcement, Trump urges Iran to open Strait of Hormuz
  • President Trump says US Navy will begin blockade of Strait of Hormuz
Here's how the news is developing.

Apr 08, 2026 5:09 PM

IRGC warns Israel and US of retaliation if attacks on Lebanon continue

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned Israel and the U.S. on Wednesday that if attacks on Lebanon do not stop, it will retaliate and deliver a "regretful response."

"We strongly warn the treacherous American and its Zionist executioner partner that if the aggression against dear Lebanon is not immediately halted, we will fulfill our duty and give a regretful response to the evil aggressors in the region," the IRGC said in a statement, according to the state TV's Telegram channel.

PHOTO: A firefighter walks through destroyed cars as a building burns after an Israeli airstrike, April 8, 2026 in Beirut, Lebanon.
Chris McGrath/Getty Images
A firefighter walks through destroyed cars as a building burns after an Israeli airstrike, April 8, 2026 in Beirut, Lebanon.
Chris McGrath/Getty Images

Apr 08, 2026 3:50 PM

Pakistan's prime minister urging 'restraint' amid reports of ceasefire 'violations'

Pakistan's Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif is urging "restraint" amid reports of ceasefire violations, he said in a post on X.

"Violations of ceasefire have been reported at few places across the conflict zone which undermine the spirit of peace process," Sharif said in the post.

"I earnestly and sincerely urge all parties to exercise restraint and respect the ceasefire for two weeks, as agreed upon, so that diplomacy can take a lead role towards peaceful settlement of the conflict," the prime minister added.

Sharif did not say specify where the violations took place.

Sharif tagged accounts for President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and others, along with the Iranian president and the Iranian foreign minister.


Apr 08, 2026 3:27 PM

Trump says talks will happen ‘very soon,’ Vance may not attend because of ‘safety, security’

President Donald Trump said Vice President JD Vance may not attend upcoming negotiations due to “safety, security,” though his exact concerns were not disclosed, he told the NY Post in a phone interview.

“We’ll have Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, JD -- maybe JD, I don’t know. There’s a question of safety, security,” Trump reportedly told the NY Post.

Trump also said he expects in-person talks to take place “very soon,” according to the NY Post.

“Very soon, actually — it’s going to take place very soon,” he reportedly said.

Firm plans over upcoming talks have yet to be formally announced, though mediators are planning for the end of the week.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday that “there are discussions about in person talks, but nothing is final until announced by the President or the White House.”



Apr 08, 2026 3:22 PM

IRGC says it downed drone over Fars Province

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said in a statement that it intercepted and destroyed a Hermes 900 drone over the central province of Fars, Iran, on Wednesday, according to the semi‑official Fars News Agency.


The incident was reported after Iran’s oil ministry’s news outlet said the country’s Lavan oil refinery was hit by a strike earlier on Wednesday. Israel denied involvement in the Lavan explosion.

-ABC News' Somayeh Malekian


Apr 09, 2026 9:15 AM

Lebanon mourns hundreds killed by Israeli strikes

Flags were lowered to half-mast at the Presidential Palace in Beirut and across the country, as Lebanon marked a day of national mourning following Wednesday's Israeli bombardment in Beirut and other parts of the country.

A meeting of President Joseph Aoun's cabinet began with a minute's silence to mark the killings, the president's office said in a post to X.

PHOTO: A Lebanese civil defense worker (R) stands with a resident at the site of a building destroyed in an Israeli airstrike a day earlier in central Beirut, Lebanon, on, April 9, 2026.
Hassan Ammar/AP
A Lebanese civil defense worker (R) stands with a resident at the site of a building destroyed in an Israeli airstrike a day earlier in central Beirut, Lebanon, on, April 9, 2026.
Hassan Ammar/AP

Lebanon's Ministry of Health said at least 203 people were killed in the attacks, with more than 1,000 people injured. Many funerals are expected to take place in Lebanon on Thursday.

In statements posted to Telegram on Thursday, Hezbollah claimed to have fired rockets toward northern Israel, targeted an Israeli military vessel with an anti-ship missile and launched several attacks on Israeli forces operating in southern Lebanon.

-ABC News' Ghazi Balkiz and Joe Simonetti


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