President Trump says US Navy will begin blockade of Strait of Hormuz

The U.S. and Iran failed to reach a peace deal after 21 hours of negotiations.

ByDavid Brennan, Jon Haworth, Nadine El-Bawab, and Kevin Shalvey
Last Updated: April 12, 2026, 10:22 PM EDT

President Donald Trump announced "major combat operations" against Iran on Feb. 28, with massive joint U.S.-Israeli strikes targeting military and government sites.

Trump set a deadline for Iran to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face broad strikes on its critical infrastructure. Hours before the deadline expired, Trump said he had agreed to suspend planned bombing for two weeks if Iran agreed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi then said that "safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be possible via coordination with Iran's Armed Forces and with due consideration of technical limitations."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he supported the ceasefire with Iran, but that Lebanon -- where intense Israeli strikes continued -- was not covered by the agreement, despite Iranian protests.

Key Headlines

Here's how the news is developing.
Apr 06, 2026, 10:53 AM EDT

Israel strikes Tehran-area airports

The Israeli military says it attacked three airports in the Tehran area on Monday in a "large-scale wave of strikes aimed at degrading the Iranian Air Force."

-ABC News’ Jordana Miller

Apr 06, 2026, 10:29 AM EDT

244 children among more than 3,500 killed in Iran

At least 3,546 people -- including 244 children-- have been killed in Iran since the war began, according to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency.

At least 1,219 military personnel are included in the death toll, HRANA said.

Apr 06, 2026, 9:13 AM EDT

Iran, Oman hold talks on 'procedure' for vessels' safe passage through Strait of Hormuz: Iran's foreign ministry

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said that Iran has been engaging in talks with Oman on examining "a procedure for the safe passage of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz."

Baqaei said the talks with Oman have been held at the level of deputy foreign ministers.

"We think these talks will continue until coming to a conclusion," he added.

Fishing boats dot the sea as cargo ships, in the background, sail through the Arabian Gulf toward the Strait of Hormuz off the United Arab Emirates, March 27, 2026.
AP

Referring to President Donald Trump's deadline threat, Baqaei said Iranians will not be "subjugated" by deadlines in defending their country.

Trump threatened to target Iran’s power plants and bridges unless the regime opens the Strait of Hormuz by Tuesday night.

Apr 06, 2026, 8:19 AM EDT

Israel confirms attacks on Iranian petrochemical plants

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Monday that Israel launched attacks on Iran's southern petrochemical infrastructure in the Persian Gulf port city of Asaluyeh.

"Two facilities, which together are responsible for about 85% of Iran's petrochemical exports, have been taken out of service and are not functioning," Katz said.

Iran's semi-official Tasnim News Agency reported that the Mobin and Damavand companies -- which supply electricity, water and oxygen to Asaluyeh's petrochemical facilities -- were hit.

The deputy governor of the southwestern Bushehr province told the state-run IRNA agency that no casualties had been reported from the attack.

Asaluyeh's facilities were previously targeted in U.S.-Israeli attacks last month.

An Iranian man walks near South Pars gas field facilities in the southern Iranian port of Asaluyeh on Jan. 22, 2014.
Behrouz Mehri/AFP via Getty Images

-ABC News Somayeh Malekian and Dana Savir

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