"Today, we began the process of establishing a new passage and we will share this safe pathway with the maritime industry soon."

"Additional U.S. forces, including underwater drones, will join the clearance effort in the coming days."

U.S. Central Command commander Admiral Brad Cooper 

 

"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. At some point, we will reach an “ALL BEING ALLOWED TO GO IN, ALL BEING ALLOWED TO GO OUT” basis, but Iran has not allowed that to happen by merely saying, “There may be a mine out there somewhere,” that nobody knows about but them. THIS IS WORLD EXTORTION, and Leaders of Countries, especially the United States of America, will never be extorted. I have also instructed our Navy to seek and interdict every vessel in International Waters that has paid a toll to Iran. No one who pays an illegal toll will have safe passage on the high seas. We will also 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!"

U.S. President Donald J. Trump 

A Navy destroyer in the U.S. Central Command area of operations transits the Strait of Hormuz, April 11, 2026.  Photo: U.S. War Department  

"The blockade will be enforced impartially against vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas, including all Iranian ports on the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman. CENTCOM forces will not impede freedom of navigation for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports."

"Additional information will be provided to commercial mariners through a formal notice prior to the start of the blockade. All mariners are advised to monitor Notice to Mariners broadcasts and contact U.S. naval forces on bridge-to-bridge channel 16 when operating in the Gulf of Oman and Strait of Hormuz approaches [per the release]."

Centcom press release  

The U.S. Department of War announced on its website that the USS Frank E. Peterson and the USS Michael Murphy are operating in the Persian Gulf, part of a broader mission to fully clear the Hormuz Strait -- an international sea passage and essential trade corridor -- of sea mines, laid courtesy of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Underwater drones, along with  additional American forces, are set to join the clearance project in coming days.

 

US has deployed two Navy guided-missile destroyers to Hormuz (Representational Image)

"We're sweeping the strait. Whether we make a deal or not makes no difference to me", said President Trump, even as negotiations between U.S. and Iranian representatives -- alongside a Pakistani mediator -- on a potential ceasefire broke down. The Iranian preconditions were a non-starter, with Israel intent on continuing its strikes on Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. Iran's continued insistence on its right to continue with its nuclear program, its demand that the U.S. withdraw from bombing Iran and prepare to pay reparations, along with its refusal to put a stop to its support of proxy terrorist groups ensure the talks would go nowhere.

The Islamic Republic's 'red lines' expressed as demand for damage caused by U.S.-Israeli strikes compensation and the release of  Iran's frozen assets, are a reflection of the supreme arrogance of a ruling elite that refuses to acknowledge its position as a bludgeoned theistic hegemon that threatened its neighbours and launched terror attacks by proxy internationally whose beating is its just due for the further threat its nuclear ambition poses to the world at large. 

The country of 93 million people is deserving of relief from the tyranny of a regime that persecutes its own population, using vast oil reserves to fund global terrorism rather than investing in internal infrastructure of benefit to the country's future -- not as a conquering Islamist totalitarian state, but as a responsible government adhering to international norms of human rights standards. That its disregard for and abuse of its female population's right to equal treatment and respect given to their male counterparts is ignored by the United Nations where Iran was recently appointed to a human rights group is cynicism on steroids.

United Nations General Assembly, UN Watch

The 15-point proposal by the United States includes restrictions on Iran's nuclear program and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, while Iran's 10-point proposal prior to the talks focused on a guaranteed end to the war and control over the Strait of Hormuz, where it plans to collect a maritime passage fee for each ship passing through, amounting to $1 million. An average of 100 to 130 ships passed through the strait daily, prior to the U.S.-Israel joint aerial assaults. 

That toll, if permitted to proceed, despite the deep objections of the other Gulf States that the IRGC has been bombing persistently since February 28, would enable the Islamic Republic to amass an astronomical fortune, far outstripping its revenues up to the conflict derived from its energy products. And all of it would be directed toward restoring its destroyed ballistic missile and drone stocks, along with other military assets that it has lost during the prosecution of the war, including warplanes and warships. 

"An integrated suite of unmanned maritime systems and sensors, the MCM MP counteracts mines in the littorals while increasing the host vessel’s standoff distance from the threat area."

"Embarked with the MCM MP, [a littoral combat ship] or a vessel of opportunity can conduct the full spectrum of detect-to-engage operations (hunt, neutralize, and sweep) against mine threats using sensors and weapons deployed from the MCM Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV), an MH-60S multi-mission helicopter, and associated support equipment."

U.S. Navy, new mine countermeasures mission package

Getty Images

Hamas Spurns Safe Passage Offer

"I'm ready to provide safe passage to Sinwar, his family, whoever wants to join  him."

"We want the hostages back. We want demilitarization, de-radicalization of course -- a new system that will manage Gaza."

"In parallel, I must work on plan B, C and D because we must bring the hostages back home. The clock is ticking, the hostages do not have time."

"There will be a price for these murders [hostage deaths]."

Gal Hirsch, Israel's hostage envoy

Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was one of the masterminds of the October 7 attacks and is thought to be living in a network of tunnels under Gaza. AFP

 

"I see how the Saudis and other moderate Arab states, including potentially Indonesia and others, are waiting to have a window of opportunity to enter and expand the Abraham Accords -- we bless it."

"It's in our best interest, it's in their best interest, it's in America's best interest to align with the moderate Arab states."

Israeli Economy Minister Nir Barkat

In exchange for freeing the hostages held by Hamas, and surrendering control of the Gaza Strip, Israel has proposed to Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar a guaranteed safe passage out of Gaza. This, as the ongoing attempts at a ceasefire accord have accomplished nothing; Hamas may be on its back foot as a consequence of its attack on southern Israel's farming communities on October 7 but it still feels entitled to control all the points of any agreement with Israel for a ceasefire, prepared to negotiate no concessions beyond its own demands.

In response to which Israel's chief envoy representing the Jewish state's commitment to rescuing its citizens from the talons of the terrorists who succeeded in that facet of their orders beyond committing mass rape, plunder, destruction and the bloodlust of savage mass murders, to round up and abduct some 250 Israeli children, elderly, entire families and IDF soldiers to be used as bait and exchange for Palestinian criminals and terrorists in Israeli prisons.

The offer of safe passage for the mastermind of the sadistic terrorism that rocked Israel eleven months ago leading to the Israeli military's invasion of Gaza for the stated purpose of obliterating the threat of any further Palestinian terrorist attacks against Israel, has had an expected response. It was turned down. Perhaps it occurs to Sinwar and his close colleagues that the offer has a limited guarantee; once safely out of Gaza, they will be hunted and the accountability they bear for the unspeakable massacre of Jews number the days of their existence.

They shouldn't mind that, however, since their boast of loving, not fearing death, as a heroic sacrifice to their 'cause' and to Islam glorifies martyrdom, as an achievement by the faithful to the greater glory of Islam demonstrating the proud heritage of self-destruction while in the process of committing mass murder of an 'enemy' and none so aptly earn that description as do Jews, perfidious and dangerous to Islam, whom the faithful aspire to destroy in honour of their Prophet who invited Jewish tribes to convert only to be shunned and refused.

 

Six Israeli captives were found dead at the end of August, re-energizing the protest movement calling for a hostage deal  The National

 

Although the hostage envoy made the offer of safe passage it has a limited life. Gal Hirsch knows with whom he is dealing, a fanatic mind so steeped in Jew-hate he could only be compared to Hitler, for each of them devised a 'final solution' for Jews. Safe passage aside, once a temporary agreement had been accomplished, Hirsch envisions a "Munich-type response" targeting those who executed six Israeli hostages last month; alluding to the assassination of those involved in the deaths of 11 Israeli athletes in 1972 at the Munich Olympics.

Previously, Prime Minister Netanyahu had stated that the solution of exile "is there, we have always discussed it, but I think the most important thing is that they surrender. If they lay down their arms, the war is over".

Details emerged of the captivity conditions of the six executed hostages, of the tunnel in which they were imprisoned; a space some100 yards in length and five feet in height. "Very humid and hard to breathe in", described Israel Defense spokesman Daniel Hagari. A makeshift toilet was discovered alongside bottles of urine, mattresses, energy bars and tuna fish tins where the hostages had lived in a cramped space for months. Hostages known to have protected each other before they were shot.

Despite the deadly turmoil and ongoing attacks against Israel by Hamas operatives, by Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon, border skirmishes from Jordan and the maritime shipping threats of the Yemeni Houthis, all orchestrated by the Islamic Republic of Iran, Israel remains invested in normalizing diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia and other Arab states, expanding the Abraham Accords when ties were established with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and tentative overtures to others.

Tunnel where six Israeli hostages were found killed seen in this still image taken from a handout video released on September 10, 2024. Israeli Army/Handout via REUTERS

 

 

"The Killing Does Not Stop"

"Ukraine needs clear guarantees of its security but, so far, we see the Russian side is not fulfilling even elementary agreements on humanitarian corridors for the exit of civilians from the encircled cities."

"Civilians are simply being destroyed with Russian weapons."

"Look at what is happening to them in Ukraine. NATO is many times stronger than our armed forces and yet Ukraine has held back a full scale offensive by one of the world's largest armies for a second week. Do you really think Russia has the potential for World War Three? Stop this self-hypnosis."

"Of course we want peace. But this does not mean that we will agree to the dismantling of our freedom and our democracy, our natural European aspirations. If Russia takes a position based on reality, not on unrealistic ambitions, then progress is possible."

"So far, we've seen that the Russian side does not ensure the fulfillment of things that are promised. Russian troops shoot people when they try to leave the occupied cities."

"Russian troops are shelling routes along which an exit of people could be organized, particularly in Mariupol and Volnovakha. So I have to state that the Russian side manipulates these rounds more than it actually invests in the negotiations."

"Negotiations are not a date to get to know each other and look for something in common. Contact is a false goal ... you need to be result-oriented. On Sunday, in Irpin, a city on the outskirts of Kyiv, Russian troops opened fire on civilians who were trying to get out of the city. A total of eight people died, including a family with two children ... In Kyiv, a Russian cruise missile was shot down over Ukraine's most important children's hospital ... the killing does not stop."

"President Zelenskyy has repeatedly offered direct negotiations with Vladimir Putin. So far, we have not received a positive response. Why? Is it possible that on the Russian side there is a lack of confidence in Putin?"

"If the West is afraid to create a humanitarian no-fly zone, then there must be a decision to transfer combat aircraft to us. We are, of course, very grateful to our partners for the sanctions but the ongoing massacres of civilians in Ukraine show that existing sanctions are not enough.You have to understand Russia is actually a very poor country. With the exception of some large cities and a rather small segment of people who benefit from the flow of oil and gas dollars, most Russian citizens live a very difficult, hopeless and poor life."

"They will feel the pain of the rise in prices and loss of opportunities but this is not new -- they've always been made to live like that."

Mikhail Podolyak, chief negotiator, Ukraine 

A Ukrainian firefighter works at an apartment building after it was hit by artillery shelling in Kyiv, Ukraine, on March 14. (Vadim Ghirda/AP)

 

The negotiations between Ukraine and Russia to put a stop to the ongoing invasion seem pointless as long as Russian troops have their standing orders to continue attacking Ukrainian cities, and the expectation by Moscow is that they will continue their attacks, including the shelling of corridors established to enable civilian evacuation of bombarded cities, in the hope of saving lives from an enemy invader that appears to be flouting all civilized rules of warfare meant to protect civilian lives.

Russian forces continue to fire on civilians attempting to evacuate through these humanitarian corridors, effectively trapping vulnerable people within partially occupied cities coming under continual fire. Ensuring that those citizens remain in place in inhumane insecurity, facing a shortage of food and medical supplies, where their electricity and heating have been cut off and potable water resources are faltering. 

Mikhail Podolyak, isolated in a bunker in Kyiv, accuses Russia of "manipulating" the talks hoping to lead to peace, and in the process promising cease-fires that never come to fruition; a severe betrayal of any expectation that Ukraine negotiators can rely on a serious response to their efforts to sway Russian negotiators to send their offers of conciliation back to Moscow for serious consideration. Even slight agreements on temporarily holding back fire to enable people to reach safety has not been communicated to the troops.

 

Mr. Podolyak is one of President Zelenskyy's most trusted aides, entrusted with leading three rounds of negotiating talks with the Russian negotiating delegation. His experience during those talks has led him to hold out faint hope for a breakthrough to be achieved any time soon. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov claims that should Ukraine agree to cede Crimea to Russia, recognize Donetsk and Luhansk as independent and that done, commit to not joining NATO or the European Union, the conflict could conclude "immediately".

 

A firefighter carries a hose in front of a residential building that was hit by a shell in the Obolon district in Kyiv, Ukraine, on March 14. (Thomas Peter/Reuters)

In contrast to Mr. Podolyak's position of skepticism over Russia's willingness to reasonably debate the critical issues with a view to stopping the violence, the Russian lead negotiator Vladimir Medinsky, claims progress has been achieved. To achieve any measure of progress between the two sides however, seems as remote as it was before the talks were initiated, according to this senior Ukrainian negotiator.

 

And in a spirit not of optimism but of faint hope, Mr. Podolyak repeated his country's request for a NATO no-fly zone over Ukraine's skies. "Thousands of houses, hundreds of businesses, a significant part of them destroyed from the air, by missiles and combat aircraft. If the Russian troops did not have such support from the air, they would not have been able to wreak such havoc."

 

When the issue came up during an interview of the death of a fellow Ukrainian negotiator, Denis Kireev, Mr. Podolyak was silent. Reports from Russia claimed the negotiator to have been killed as he was being arrested for treason. "This man died performing a task in the interests of the Ukrainian state", he responded. Without going into the obvious explanation that doing anything at all to favour Ukraine over Russia merits the charge of treason on Russia's part.

 

"Most of our cities that Russia planned to capture are fighting bravely. In cities that are temporarily occupied, there are mass protests ... this is real civic heroism: people coming out unarmed with a national flag against armed invaders and demanding that they get out of our country."Ukraine will not give up its freedom and will not give up its democracy", he averred with pride.

Talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine will resume, as fighting rages around the country Photograph: Aris Messinis/AFP/Getty Images