Former President Donald Trump has initiated a blockade of the strategic Strait of Hormuz, set to commence at 10 a.m. on Monday, amidst warnings from Iran about potential increases in gas prices for American consumers.

Trump communicated this decision through a post on Truth Social on Sunday, stating that naval forces would “initiate the blockade of any and all ships attempting entry” into the Strait.

The U.S. Central Command has verified that this blockade will target “all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports,” with the operation beginning at 10 a.m. Eastern Time on Monday.

In a statement, CENTCOM advised all mariners to reach out to U.S. naval forces via bridge-to-bridge channel 16 when navigating the Gulf of Oman and the approaches to the Strait of Hormuz.

Traffic through the strait that is directed to and from non-Iranian ports will proceed without disruption.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche announced on social media Sunday that the Department of Justice is supporting the blockade.

‘The Department of Justice will vigorously prosecute anyone who buys or sells sanctioned Iranian oil,’ Blanche wrote. 

However, Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei promised Iran has ‘large, untouched levers’ to strike back against Trump’s blockage, quipping that they cannot be pressured by ‘tweets and imaginary plans.’

Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf – who led negotiations with JD Vance on behalf of Iran – warned Americans that ‘soon you’ll be nostalgic for $4-$5 gas,’ The New York Times reported. 

Donald Trump’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz will begin Monday, as Iranian leadership warned Americans to get used to even higher gas prices

Trump announced the move via Truth Social on Sunday, saying the naval assets would ‘begin the process of blockading any all ships trying to enter’ the Strait

Oil prices rose in early market trading Sunday night after the US said it would blockade Iranian ports beginning Monday.

The price of US crude oil rose eight percent to $104.24 a barrel and Brent crude oil, the international standard, rose seven percent to $102.29.

Brent crude has swung dramatically during the month-plus long Iran war, rising from roughly $70 per barrel before the war in late February to more than $119 at times. 

On Friday, ahead of the peace talks, Brent for June delivery fell 0.8 percent to $95.20 per barrel.

Rachel Ziemba of the Center for a New American Progress suggested that the period for negotiations to slow this process down may be over.  

‘The de-escalation window for the global economy, such as it was, is over for now,’ she told The Wall Street Journal. ‘Iran is betting they can hold out longer than the US and the global economy.’ 

Iran has been effectively controlling the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for global oil shipping. 

Around a fifth of the world´s traded oil typically flows through the Strait of Hormuz every day. 

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche announced on social media Sunday that the Department of Justice is supporting the blockade

Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf – who led negotiations with JD Vance on behalf of Iran – warned Americans that ‘soon you’ll be nostalgic for $4-$5 gas’

Saudi Arabia, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Iran are all major exporters.

Traffic in the Strait has been limited even in the days since the ceasefire. Marine trackers say over 40 commercial ships have crossed since the start of the ceasefire.

The president claimed that the threat posed by the Iranian Navy is ‘gone’ from the key waterway thanks to the US military assault on the nation since February 28. 

However, experts have warned that though much of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ large battleships have been destroyed, the smaller boats that control the Strait are still intact. 

This means the US servicemen sent to the narrow waterway – which is only about 35 kilometers wide – will be sitting ducks for attacks by the IRGC. 

Farzin Nadimi, an Iran-focused senior fellow with the Washington Institute, told the Wall Street Journal that more than 60 percent of the IRGC’s fast-attack craft and speedboat fleet is still operating.

David Des Roches, a former director responsible for Persian Gulf policy at the Defense Department, also noted that Iran’s ‘asymmetrical strategy is working.’

The smaller, more nimble boats are well versed in controlling the crucial chokepoint by deploying missiles and mines, and by harassing commercial ships. 

Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei promised Iran has ‘large, untouched levers’ to strike back against Trump’s blockage, quipping that they cannot be pressured by ‘tweets and imaginary plans’

Trump announced the blockade after peace talks in Islamabad let by JD Vance failed

‘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,’ Trump announced via Truth Social Sunday morning. 

‘Any Iranian who fires at us, or at peaceful vessels, will be BLOWN TO HELL!’ he added.

‘Iran knows, better than anyone, how to END this situation which has already devastated their Country. 

‘Their Navy is gone, their Air Force is gone, their Anti Aircraft and Radar are useless, Khamenei, and most of their “Leaders,” are dead, all because of their Nuclear ambition. The Blockade will begin shortly.’

It comes amid a tenuous two-week ceasefire deal Trump struck with Tehran, which agreed to stop fighting in exchange for the opening of the strait. 

Iran warned by marine radio that any unauthorized ships trying to cross the strait in the meantime would be destroyed.  

Only four ships passed on day one, and Iran plans to limit traffic to about a dozen daily, down from more than 100.

Tehran has also warned of possible antiship mines, urging vessels to follow new coastal routes with Revolutionary Guard guidance.

Traffic in the Strait has been limited even in the days since the ceasefire. Marine trackers say over 40 commercial ships have crossed since the start of the ceasefire 

Vice President JD Vance, left, talks to Pakistan’s Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshall Asim Munir, right, and Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, center, before boarding Air Force Two after attending talks on Iran

White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly told the Journal that the U.S. had completed ‘the largest elimination of a navy over a three-week period since World War II.’ 

She also noted that the ‘U.S. military has destroyed Iran’s ability to shoot ballistic missiles or produce more, which will help secure the free flow of energy in the long term.’ 

The USS Franklin Petersen and the USS Michael Murphy are the two American destroyers currently in the Strait.

In his Sunday Truth Social post, Trump also said that Iran was ‘unwilling to give up its nuclear ambitions’ as Vice President JD Vance returned from peace talks in Pakistan empty-handed.

A US official familiar with the deliberations told The Daily Mail that at the outset of the talks, it was clear that the Iranians did not properly apprehend America’s core objective, which was that any potential deal has and always would have at its center the fact that Iran would never obtain a nuclear weapon.

Over the course of the deliberations, the Vice President corrected this misunderstanding and used his time with his counterparts to probe their own assessments of their positions, per the US official.

The official also conveyed that the Iranians need to recognize that the realities on the ground do not reflect the assumptions they held when they arrived at the negotiations before they will be ready to entertain a serious offer.

The Vice President still believes that a deal remains on the table, and that it is on the Iranians to accept it.

Vice President JD Vance still believes that a deal remains on the table, and that it is on the Iranians to accept it

A vessel at the Strait of Hormuz, off the coast of Oman’s Musandam province, April 12, 2026

Trump also noted on Sunday morning that he instructed the US Navy ‘to seek and interdict every vessel in International Waters that has paid a toll to Iran,’ Trump added. ‘No one who ​pays an illegal toll will have safe passage on the high seas.’

‘Any Iranian who fires at us, or at peaceful vessels, will be BLOWN ⁠TO HELL!’ Trump said.

The President, speaking separately on Fox News Sunday Morning Futures, announced that NATO would ‘begrudgingly’ support the US in securing the Strait. He called NATO ‘shameful,’ claiming that ‘they weren’t there for us, and they won’t be there for us.’

Trump said he was ‘very disappointed’ in the UK, comparing Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to infamous Adolf Hitler appeaser Neville Chamberlain. 

‘[Starmer] made a public statement: “We will send equipment after the war is over.” That’s a Neville Chamberlain-type statement,’ Trump told Fox.

A UK government spokesperson pushed back against Trump’s claims, noting that the UK will not be involved in the Strait of Hormuz blockade. 

‘We continue to support freedom of navigation and the opening of the Strait of Hormuz, which is urgently needed to support the global economy and the cost of living back home,’ the UK government spokesperson noted. 

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In a dramatic twist within California’s political landscape, several key backers of Representative Eric Swalwell’s gubernatorial bid pulled their endorsements on Friday. This development follows Swalwell’s denial of accusations claiming he sexually assaulted a woman on two occasions, including an incident during her time as his employee.

Swalwell did not immediately respond to calls for his resignation. Instead, he took to social media to announce plans to spend the weekend with his loved ones, promising to provide an update “very soon.”

He firmly rejected the allegations, stating, “These claims of sexual assault are categorically false. They never happened, and I am prepared to contest them vigorously.”

Swalwell, once a frontrunner among Democrats aiming to succeed Governor Gavin Newsom, faced a swift withdrawal of support from key figures, including U.S. Senator Adam Schiff and influential labor organizations, who urged him to step down.

In a statement, Governor Newsom, who is seen as a potential presidential candidate for 2028 and has kept a distance from the gubernatorial race, commented, “As more information comes to light, these multiple allegations are profoundly concerning and warrant serious attention.”

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who hasn’t endorsed in the race, said the “serious allegations” must be investigated and that she spoke to Swalwell and suggested that be done “outside of a gubernatorial campaign.”

The allegations surfaced at a critical stage of the wide-open campaign to lead the nation’s most populous state. Voters will receive mail ballots next month in advance of the June 2 election.

The San Francisco Chronicle reported Friday that a woman said Swalwell sexually assaulted her in 2019 and 2024. The newspaper reviewed text messages about the alleged 2024 assault and spoke to people whom she had told about it. She told the newspaper she did not go to police because she was afraid she would not be believed.

The woman worked for Swalwell in 2019, when the first alleged assault occurred, and the 2024 assault allegedly occurred after a charity gala, the newspaper reported. She said in both cases she was too intoxicated to consent to sex.

The paper didn’t name the woman, and The Associated Press has not been able to independently verify her account and identity. Her lawyer declined to comment.

Swift backlash from prominent Democrats

Schiff said in a social media post he’s “deeply distressed” by the allegations, calling for Swalwell to end his gubernatorial bid.

Democratic Rep. Jimmy Gomez, who helped run Swalwell’s campaign, said he’s immediately ending his role.

“The congressman should leave the race now so there can be full accountability without doubt, distraction, or delay,” Gomez said on social media.

Powerful labor unions, including the California Service Employees International Union and the California Teachers Association, said they’re suspending their support. The California Federation of Labor Unions said it’s “acting urgently” on next steps.

A spokesperson for House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said the allegations require a “serious and thorough investigation.”

Growing calls for Swalwell to drop out

Swalwell is among a handful of prominent candidates in the crowded race to succeed Newsom, and he immediately came under pressure from all other Democratic rivals to withdraw from the race. The party has been mired in a messy primary season with some leaders fearing the crowded field could cost them spot in the November general election. The state’s top-two primary system sends the two highest vote getters onto the general election regardless of party.

Swalwell on Tuesday kicked off a planned series of campaign events in Sacramento, where he told reporters he’s never had a sexual relationship with a staff member or intern. He canceled the next scheduled event in Palm Springs on Thursday.

Uncorroborated and nonspecific rumors that Swalwell behaved inappropriately with female staffers have circulated on social media for weeks, but the Chronicle’s story is the first reported account of someone making a direct accusation. CNN also reported that several women accused Swalwell of sending them inappropriate sexual messages.

He’s suggested the allegations were part of an attack due to his campaign’s momentum.

Swalwell was elected in 2012 and represents a House district east of San Francisco. He launched a presidential run in April 2019 but shuttered it a few months later after failing to catch on with voters. Swalwell, who is married and has three children, is perhaps best known nationally as a House manager in President Donald Trump’s second impeachment trial during his first term in early 2021.

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Blood reported from Los Angeles.

The heartbroken father of a teenager who tragically died in a dog attack has shared the devastating moment he discovered his daughter’s lifeless body at home.

Jack Biscoe, 37, came upon his 19-year-old daughter, Jamie-Lea Biscoe, lying on the floor of his bedroom on Friday night shortly before 11 p.m.

Emergency services quickly arrived at the scene in the village of Leaden Roding, Essex. Despite their efforts, Jamie-Lea was pronounced dead, having succumbed to a bite wound on her neck.

The family’s pet, a seven-year-old blue-merle lurcher named Shy, has been taken into custody by police, along with her puppies, in the wake of this tragic incident.

Through tears, Jamie-Lea’s father expressed the immense ‘horror and destruction’ her untimely death has brought into his life. Despite this, he described Shy as the ‘softest dog’ and noted that the lurcher was his daughter’s ‘best friend’.

Mr Biscoe, who had part of his ear bitten off by Shy after trying to save his daughter’s life by giving her CPR, told The Sun: ‘Witnessing the horror and destruction it has caused me, it’s not worth it. Treat them as dogs, give them their beds, be careful.’

He added: ‘I thought I could trust that dog with my life and it took my daughter’s life.’

The 37-year-old also warned families about ‘just how quick a dog can take away a life’, adding that dangerous dogs are ‘not breed specific’. 

Jack Biscoe, 37, with his daughter Jamie-Lea, 19, who died after suffering a bite wound to her neck when their family dog attacked her at home

Mr Biscoe was arrested on suspicion of being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control and causing injury resulting in death, then subsequently released on bail on Saturday night. 

He discovered his daughter unconscious between his bed and bedside table after coming home from KFC with his partner Steven Daniels, 43, on Friday evening. 

As he tried to save his teenager Shy attacked him, leaving the father-of-one with puncture wounds in his arms as well as the injuries to his ear, which will require reconstructive surgery. 

He described his daughter as his ‘best friend’, adding that her death was ‘so painful’.

‘I don’t know how to step forward without that child in my life. She was my only child,’ he said. 

Mr Biscoe, a horse trainer, bought Shy when she was seven-weeks-old. Her 18-month-old puppies Bella and Mouse were downstairs at the time of the attack.  

A GoFundMe page set up yesterday by Jamie-Lea’s aunt, Maria, to raise money for funeral costs has so far received nearly £3,000 in donations.

It reads: ‘On Friday April 10 Jamie was tragically attacked and killed at her home by her pet dog. 

Police rushed to the scene near the village of Leaden Roding but Jamie-Lea was pronounced dead after suffering a bite wound to her neck

‘She had been the family pet for seven years and had never shown any sign of aggression before this sad tragic incident. 

‘Jamie-Lea was the kindest most beautiful young adult and would have done anything for anyone. 

‘She loved life and her family but most of all she adored her dad Jack. We are trying to raise funds to pay for her funeral, so we can give her the best send off.’

Relatives have paid tribute to Jamie-Lea on social media, with a loved one commenting: ‘Our darling Jamie-Lea rip our girl.’

Another, Tina Wells, described the dog as a ‘seven-year-old lurcher’ – adding she was a ‘family pet’.

Ms Wells said: ‘She slept on my granddaughter’s bed. It’s devastating.’ 

Another person commented: ‘Such a tragic end for the young lady. My deepest condolences to her family, friends and loved ones.’

Someone else said: ‘This is another tragic attack and so beyond distressing for all family and friends and also to the responders. Any dog can bite, it’s the circumstances why.’ 

A post-mortem examination was due to take place yesterday to confirm the cause of the young woman’s death.   

Church Warden David Tregunno from the local church, St Michael’s and All the Angels, opened up the space for prayer and reflection on Sunday afternoon. 

He said: ‘We’re obviously thinking and praying for the young lady who has recently died in this very terrible situation.

‘We’re opening the church today between one and three if anyone wants to come in to pray or reflect on the situation. We’ll be thinking of her, and you’d be very welcome to come.’

Essex Police said yesterday: ‘We are now in a position to confirm that Jamie-Lea Biscoe, 19, died from injuries believed to have been suffered as a result of a dog attack.

‘A 37-year-old man from Dunmow, arrested on suspicion of being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control and causing injury resulting in death, has now been bailed until July while enquiries continue.

‘The dog, which was a family pet, has been seized, and it is believed to be a Lurcher Cross, but tests are underway to formally establish the precise breed.’

Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Hooper said: ‘Our thoughts remain with all those who knew and loved Jamie-Lea. Her young life has been so tragically cut short.

‘Our detectives are continuing to work around the clock to establish exactly what happened, and specialist officers are continuing to support Jamie-Lea’s family. 

‘This is unimaginable for her loved ones and friends, and, as such, I would ask people to respect their grief and privacy at this extremely difficult time.

‘Our officers remain at the scene, and anyone with concerns or information can speak with them there or contact us in the usual way.’