U.S. naval blockade ordered
Reports say President Trump ordered a U.S. naval blockade of shipping to and from Iranian ports, a move that pushed oil above $100 a barrel and rattled markets. The White House also threatened a 50% tariff on China if it were found supplying weapons to Iran, and Chinese equities slipped as investors absorbed both the blockade and tariff risk. (insidenova.com) (indianexpress.com) (livemint.com)
President Donald Trump ordered a U.S. naval blockade of ships entering or leaving Iranian ports after U.S.-Iran ceasefire talks collapsed over the weekend. (centcom.mil) U.S. Central Command said the blockade would begin on April 13 at 10 a.m. Eastern and be “enforced impartially” against vessels entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas. (centcom.mil) The announcement sent oil surging: Brent rose above $102 a barrel and U.S. West Texas Intermediate topped $104 as markets priced in disruption to Persian Gulf exports. (newsbreak.com) Mr. Trump also warned that any country found supplying weapons to Iran would face steep trade penalties, saying on television that “if we catch them doing that, they get a 50% tariff.” (cnbc.com) Investors jittered: China’s CSI300 index dipped on Monday as markets absorbed both the blockade and the tariff threat to Beijing. (livemint.com) Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said any military vessels approaching the Strait of Hormuz would be considered a breach of the ceasefire and “dealt with harshly and decisively,” state media reported. (english.alarabiya.net) The Strait of Hormuz handles roughly 20 million barrels per day — about one-fifth of global oil consumption and more than a quarter of seaborne oil trade — making any disruption immediately material to energy markets. (eia.gov) CENTCOM’s order sets the blockade in motion on Monday morning; world markets, maritime insurers and regional navies will be watching movements through the Gulf and the next diplomatic signals from Washington and Tehran. (centcom.mil)
