Trump: Strait of Hormuz Is Open, US Blockade Remains in 'Full Force'

The critical waterway for global shipping was effectively closed down for weeks during the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran.
Published: 4/17/2026, 9:58:50 AM EDT

President Donald Trump and the Iranian foreign minister declared Friday that the Strait of Hormuz is back open as part of the 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon.

The critical waterway for global shipping was effectively closed down for weeks during the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran.

But Trump also warned that the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports remains in effect until an agreement is reached with Iran.

"THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ IS COMPLETELY OPEN AND READY FOR BUSINESS AND FULL PASSAGE, BUT THE NAVAL BLOCKADE WILL REMAIN IN FULL FORCE AND EFFECT AS IT PERTAINS TO IRAN, ONLY, UNTIL SUCH TIME AS OUR TRANSACTION WITH IRAN IS 100% COMPLETE. THIS PROCESS SHOULD GO VERY QUICKLY IN THAT MOST OF THE POINTS ARE ALREADY NEGOTIATED," Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Israel had launched a military campaign with the Iranian-backed terrorist group Hezbollah in Lebanon. The U.S. brokered the 10-day ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon meant to stop the fighting and avoid a much larger, regional conflict.

The deal was also intended to enable broader U.S.-Iran negotiations, but does not require Israeli forces to withdraw, rather maintain positions deep inside southern Lebanon.

Iranian foreign minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi also confirmed the reopening of the Strait for the remainder of the 10-day truce.

"In line with the ceasefire in Lebanon, the passage for all commercial vessels through Strait of Hormuz is declared completely open for the remaining period of ceasefire, on the coordinated route as already announced by Ports and Maritime Organisation of the Islamic Rep. of Iran," he wrote on X.
Trump, in a separate social media post, declared that Iran has agreed to “never close” the strait again,  further claiming that the critical waterway “will no longer be used as a weapon against the world.”
He also stated that Iran has agreed to remove all mines from the Strait.

U.S. military forces have been supporting freedom of navigation for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees the Middle East, earlier Friday provided an update on the U.S. blockade, declaring that 19 ships have complied with directions from U.S. forces to turn around and return to Iran.

“ZERO vessels have evaded U.S. forces during the blockade,” CENTCOM wrote on X. 

The closure of the Strait has disrupted global energy markets by inhibiting the transport of oil from major producers, such as Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Iran. Nearly a fifth of global oil and gas supplies previously flowed ⁠through the narrow waterway, causing widespread fallout.

Reuters contributed to this report.