April 18th 17:18 to 23:07, six hours

Six major breaking news: US-Iran, Strait of Hormuz

From the evening of April 18th to late at night, within a mere six hours, the struggle between the US and Iran over the Strait of Hormuz suddenly escalated, pushing global oil markets’ nerves to the extreme. Iran dealt out four tough cards—“refusal to negotiate, military control, suspension of flights, and leader’s calls”—while the US responded directly with “boarding and inspections plus seizure of commercial vessels,” as a showdown over who would blink first accelerated in the Persian Gulf.

17:18 — Negotiation doors close

The Iranian Tasnim News Agency was the first to drop the first major breaking news: Iran has not agreed to hold the next round of talks with the United States. This decision stems directly from US President Trump’s announcement of a maritime blockade on Iran, as well as the US side’s continued insistence on “excessive demands” in recent exchanges. The outside world had expected that the 21-hour marathon negotiations in Islamabad would break the deadlock, but at this moment hopes suddenly cooled.

18:39 — The strait is effectively closed

Ship-tracking data then revealed the harsh reality: about 10 vessels attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz were forced to turn back. These are mostly tankers; after reaching waters near Iran’s Larak Island, they turned around one after another. Iran’s foreign minister had just announced the previous day that the strait would be opened to commercial shipping, but the military has tightened control again because of the US’s “repeated breaches of promises.” The world’s most important oil valve is tightened once more.

19:13 — Aviation industry hits a pause button

Tensions spread quickly into the civilian domain. The Iranian Airlines Association announced a nationwide suspension of ticket sales; all flights—whether domestic or international—must apply for approval one by one. Iran’s civil aviation authority also confirmed that some airspace and multiple airports have reopened, but the tightening of flight permissions means that clouds of war have already hung over the skies.

21:16 — The supreme leader lets out a war roar

Iran’s Supreme Leader Khamenei issued a written statement on Army Day with unprecedentedly harsh wording. He claimed that the Iranian navy is fully mobilized—“ready at any moment to deliver the enemy with a new and even worse defeat”—and emphasized that the armed forces bravely defend the territory: “launching fierce strikes against the United States and Israel, exposing their weakness and shamelessness to the whole world.” This is not diplomatic wording, but an overt signal for war mobilization.

21:56 — Control of the strait “until the war is completely over”

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council followed with an official statement: Iran is determined to control passage through the Strait of Hormuz until the war is completely over and lasting peace is achieved in the region. More importantly, the scope of control clearly includes collecting fees related to security, safety, and environmental protection services. This means Iran has upgraded the “toll” system from a temporary strategy to a national policy, potentially generating hundreds of billions of dollars in fiscal revenue each year.

23:07 — The US military shows its bottom card

In the dead of night, the US side delivered its final response. The Wall Street Journal, citing information from US officials, said that the US military is prepared in the coming days to board and inspect oil tankers related to Iran and seize commercial vessels, expanding the scope of naval strike operations beyond the Middle East. This plan comes as Iran strengthens its control over the strait and attacks multiple commercial ships. The US boarding and seizure will directly cut off Iran’s lifeline for exporting oil using its “shadow fleet,” moving the conflict from a standoff at sea to direct military contact.

Six hours, six major breaking news. How long will the Strait of Hormuz war last? $BTC ‌$ETH ‌#美伊局势和谈与增兵博弈