US-Israel-Iran War Live News Updates: Trump To Implement Blockade Of Strait Of Hormuz; Iran Says It Has Full Control

Mihir Vora CIO, TRUST Mutual Fund to NDTV Profit:

• Mihir Vora said the duration of the conflict will be more crucial than other aspects.
• He cautioned that it is not prudent to buy into the market amid euphoria at this point.
• Vora said markets are still hopeful of a ceasefire or renewed negotiations.
• He added that the situation in the Middle East remains unclear.
• Vora clarified that being overweight on IT and pharma is not a structural call.
• He said exposure to IT and pharma sectors is a temporary move.
• Vora noted that global markets are gradually getting used to the uncertainty.
• He added that global markets are not in panic mode at this time.

Saurabh Mukherjea, Marcellus Investment Managers, to NDTV Profit:

• Saurabh Mukherjea said uncertainty has returned to pre‑ceasefire levels.
• He added that the UAE and Saudi Arabia are unlikely to put pressure on Iran.
• Mukherjea said former US President Donald Trump appears to be setting the stage for an extended blockade.
• He also noted that the US is not dependent on the Strait of Hormuz and has formidable strategic reserves.

Khoon Goh, Head of Asia Research, ANZ Research to NDTV Profit:

• Khoon Goh said markets have not yet returned to pricing in a worst‑case scenario.
• He noted that markets are still holding out hope for possible US‑Iran negotiations.
• Goh added that pressure on India’s financial assets is likely to continue.
• He said the rupee could test the key 95‑per‑dollar level again.
• He also pointed out that RBI measures to stabilise the rupee have proven to be temporary.

On US-Israel-Iran conflict, Anju Gupta, Anju Gupta,Strategic Geo-Security Expert to NDTV:

• Anju Gupta said that not much was expected from the talks held in Islamabad.
• She added that Pakistan does not have the diplomatic or strategic heft to meaningfully moderate talks at this stage.
• Gupta noted that a naval blockade would count as an act of war under international norms.
• She further said that any US-led blockade would have repercussions for every affected nation.

In a post on social media platform Truth Social, US President Donald Trump wrote, "The United States to Blockade Ships Entering or Exiting Iranian Ports on April 13 at 10:00 A.M. ET. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DJT." [sic]

The US military's logistical plans for blockading the Strait of Hormuz appeared to have been scaled down from the sweeping measures President Donald Trump had earlier threatened.

Trump originally wrote on Truth Social that the US would blockade “any and all” ships exiting or entering the Strait of Hormuz. The military, however, says it will still permit passage of ships headed between non-Iranian ports.

Samir Madani, the co-founder of Tankertrackers.com, told AP that the monitoring group used imagery from the European Space Agency’s Copernicus-2 satellite to identify the types of Iranian oil tankers present in the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend.

They identified 10 "Very Large Crude Carrier" supertankers - which can hold 2 million barrels of oil each - and 1 Suezmax tanker, which holds 1 million barrels , in the Gulf of Oman as of Sunday, adding up to 21 million barrels.

Iran could be keeping the oil in floating storage to "better regulate exports amid turbulence" or in case of disturbances at Kharg Island, the group said on X.

(Source: AP)

Speaking to reporters outside Washington after flying back from Florida, US President Donald Trump was asked how long it might be before Iranian officials returned to the negotiating table amid a fragile ceasefire.

“I don't care if they come back or not,” he replied. “If they don't come back, I'm fine.”

Trump said that during weekend negotiations led by US Vice President JD Vance, Iran said they were pushing for a nuclear weapon.

“They still want it, and they made that clear the other night. Iran will not have a nuclear weapon,” he said.

Iran Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, in a post on X said, "In intensive talks at highest level in 47 years, Iran engaged with U.S in good faith to end war. But when just inches away from "Islamabad MoU", we encountered maximalism, shifting goalposts, and blockade. Zero lessons earned. Good will begets good will. Enmity begets enmity."

In intensive talks at highest level in 47 years, Iran engaged with U.S in good faith to end war.

But when just inches away from "Islamabad MoU", we encountered maximalism, shifting goalposts, and blockade.

Zero lessons earned

Good will begets good will.
Enmity begets enmity.

— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) April 12, 202

Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita has attended a mourning ceremony for Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The ceremony was organised by the Iranian embassy to pay respect to the departed leader on the 40th day (Chehelum) of his demise.

"Minister of State Shri Pabitra Margherita offered solemn respects on behalf of the Government of India at the 40th day (Chehelum) mourning ceremony organized by the Embassy of Iran in New Delhi," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on social media. "India-Iran relations are anchored in deep rooted civilizational, cultural and people-to-people ties," he said.

On March 5, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri visited the Iranian embassy to convey New Delhi's condolences over Khamenei's death.


(Source: AP)

Lloyd’s List Intelligence said that "all traffic" through the Strait of Hormuz stopped after the US President Donald Trump announced that the US would blockade the waterway. It said two vessels that were leaving the strait turned around.

A trickle of traffic had returned to the strait in the days since the US and Iran agreed to pause the conflict.

(Source: AP)

Israel's prime minister was making his first visit since the start of the current round of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. "One of the things we see here is that we have essentially changed the face of the Middle East,” Netanyahu said. "Our enemies — Iran and the Axis of Evil — they came to destroy us, and now they are simply fighting for their own survival."

Nawaf Salam made his remarks on the eve of the 51st anniversary of the start of Lebanon's 15-year civil war. Lebanon and Israel will hold direct talks in Washington starting Tuesday in a bid to end Israel's conflict with Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militant group in Lebanon.

The government has set a truce as a prerequisite for talks, and plans to demand an Israeli withdrawal, the release of Lebanese prisoners, and the return of over one million displaced Lebanese.

Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said that Iran has shown it doesn't surrender to threats, hours after Trump said the US would impose a blockade to stop ships from entering or leaving the Strait of Hormuz. "If you fight, we will fight." Ghalibaf said in a social media post addressing Trump.6

Iran's Revolutionary Guard Navy said  that military vessels approaching the Strait of Hormuz "will be met with a firm and forceful response," according to two semi-official Iranian news agencies. 

(Source: AP)

US Central Command has announced that it will begin a blockade of Iranian ports on Monday. CENTCOM said the blockade would be "enforced impartially against vessels of all nations" entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas. It said it would still allow ships travelling between non-Iranian ports to transit the Strait of Hormuz. Traffic in the Strait has been limited even in the days since the ceasefire. Marine trackers say over 40 commercial ships have crossed since the start of the ceasefire.

https://t.co/YAFhMBm7hA

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) April 12, 2026