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🚀 US begins Iran blockade

Author

Liam Gill
April 14, 2026

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Market Overview
Read time 1.4 minutes

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  1. The U.S. officially commenced a naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, targeting all vessels entering or exiting Iranian ports. The operation, which took effect yesterday morning, follows the collapse of high-stakes peace negotiations in Islamabad led by Vice President JD Vance. President Trump issued a stark warning on Truth Social, stating that any Iranian "fast attack ships" approaching U.S. forces would be "immediately eliminated." While the blockade is intended to be enforced "impartially" against ships of all nations visiting Iranian ports, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) clarified that freedom of navigation will be maintained for vessels traveling to and from non-Iranian ports in the region.

  2. Crude oil prices have officially breached the $100.00 USD mark as of late Monday morning, with West Texas Intermediate (WTI) and Brent crude both surging by more than 7% following the start of the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports. The sudden jump reflects the physical reality of a total halt in shipping through the Strait of Hormuz to and from Iranian facilities, a strategic pivot that effectively ends the two-week ceasefire. Analysts at Morgan Stanley and UBS indicate that while the market is currently reacting to the immediate blockade, a prolonged disruption could see prices overshoot toward $150.00 USD if alternative shipping routes and pipelines fail to compensate for the lost volume.

  3. A federal judge in Miami has dismissed President Donald Trump’s $10 billion USD defamation lawsuit against Rupert Murdoch and The Wall Street Journal. The suit centred on a July 2024 article alleging Trump sent a "bawdy" 50th birthday letter to Jeffrey Epstein in 2003, featuring hand-drawn imagery and a suggestive signature. Judge Darrin Gayles ruled that the complaint failed to meet the "actual malice" standard required for public figures, noting that the Journal had actively sought comment from the White House, the FBI, and the DOJ before publication.

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