Trump says U.S. will blockade Strait of Hormuz, intercept ships that paid Iran

Politics Trump says U.S. will blockade Strait of Hormuz and intercept ships that paid tolls to Iran By Kaia Hubbard Kaia Hubbard Politics Reporter Kaia Hubbard is a politics reporter for CBS News Digital, based in Washington, D.C. Read Full Bio Kaia Hubbard April 12, 2026 / 9:34 AM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google Washington — President Trump said on Sunday that the U.S. Navy will begin blockading ships from entering or exiting the Strait of Hormuz and intercept vessels that have paid tolls to Iran, after marathon talks in Pakistan failed to yield an agreement to end the war."Effective immediately, the United States Navy, the Finest in the World, will begin the process of BLOCKADING any and all Ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz," the president said in a post on Truth Social on Sunday morning. Mr. Trump also said he has instructed the Navy to "seek and interdict every vessel in International Waters that has paid a toll to Iran," and that the U.S. would begin "destroying the mines the Iranians laid in the Straits." "Any Iranian who fires at us, or at peaceful vessels, will be BLOWN TO HELL!" he added. At least two vessels that have traversed the strait have paid Iran fees in Chinese yuan to guarantee safe passage, analysts from Lloyd's List Intelligence said in a recent report. Analysts wrote that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps "has imposed a de facto 'toll booth' regime in the Strait of Hormuz, requiring vessels to submit full documentation, obtain clearance codes and accept IRGC-escorted passage through a single controlled corridor." Iran has indicated that it might seek to impose a toll on all ships passing through the strait under a long-term peace deal.The president has previously urged Iran not to impose tolls on ships traveling through the key waterway. His announcement of a blockade came after the U.S. and Iran failed to reach a deal after face-to-face talks led by Vice President JD Vance in Isl...