(2 June 2026 22:27 BST)
US forces fired a missile at a ship that was attempting to sail to an Iranian port in violation of an American blockade, disabling the vessel, the US military said on Tuesday.
The Botswana-flagged M/T Lexie – an unladen oil tanker – „ignored repeated warnings“ over a 24-hour period, and an American warplane „ultimately disabled the vessel by firing a Hellfire missile into the ship‘s engine room“, the US military‘s Central Command said in a statement.
Tasnim added that Tehran and allied militant groups in the region have placed on their agenda the “complete closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the activation of other fronts,” including the Bab el-Mandeb strait at the southern end of the Red Sea, where Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels have previously launched attacks on passing vessels.
„We‘re enforcing the blockade across the board against any ship of any nationality that is transiting to or from an Iranian port or territory,“ Caine said.
„We‘re closely tracking vessels of interest headed towards Iran and those moving away from Iran that were outside the blockade area when this blockade was ordered and … we‘re prepared and postured to intercept them,“ he said.
The U.S. naval blockade on Iran began on April 13.
Watch the full news conference in the video player above.
Speaking to reporters at the Pentagon, Hegseth said the U.S. blockade of Iranian shipping will continue „as long as it takes“ to accomplish America‘s „bold and dangerous“ mission to end Iran‘s threat to global security.
In an exclusive interview with Meet the Press after her visit to Cuba, Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) says the Cuban people are being collectively punished by the U.S. oil blockade, and says she would like to see formal negotiations between the two countries.
TAMPA, Fla. — U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces will begin implementing a blockade of all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports on April 13 at 10 a.m. ET, in accordance with the President’s proclamation.
The blockade will be enforced impartially against vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas, including all Iranian ports on the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman. CENTCOM forces will not impede freedom of navigation for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports.
Additional information will be provided to commercial mariners through a formal notice prior to the start of the blockade. All mariners are advised to monitor Notice to Mariners broadcasts and contact U.S. naval forces on bridge-to-bridge channel 16 when operating in the Gulf of Oman and Strait of Hormuz approaches.
The President said he gave the order because Iran refused to agree not to develop nuclear weapons during talks with US officials in Pakistan on Saturday. “The meeting with Iran began early in the morning, and lasted throughout the night — Close to 20 hours,” the President wrote in a second post on Sunday. “I could go into great detail, and talk about much that has been gotten but, there is only one thing that matters — IRAN IS UNWILLING TO GIVE UP ITS NUCLEAR AMBITIONS!”
Zwar lässt Teheran seit einigen Tagen im Zuge der Waffenruhe mit den USA vermehrt Schiffe passieren – aber nur, wenn diese eine Maut entrichten. Sehr zum Unwillen von US-Präsident Donald Trump. Der erklärte nun, die Kriegsmarine seines Landes sei angewiesen, die Straße von Hormus vollständig zu blockieren. Mehr noch: Jedes Schiff, das eine Gebühr an Iran entrichtet habe und sich in internationalen Gewässern befinde, werde aufgebracht.
President Donald Trump said today the US Navy will begin blockading ships in the Strait of Hormuz and interdicting every ship that has paid a toll to Iran, after US peace talks with the country ended in a stalemate.
Trump also said the US will prevent passage for any ship that has paid a toll to Iran and will begin removing mines from the strait.
Der Ausfall am 16. März wurde nicht durch ein einzelnes Kraftwerk (wie das oft kritisierte Antonio-Guiteras-Werk bei Matanzas) verursacht, sondern dürfte durch ein Übertragungsproblem ausgelöst worden sein. Die Regierung untersucht die genaue Ursache. Bis zum 17. März war Strom in weiten Teilen teilweise zurück – Santiago de Cuba bleibt jedoch weiterhin dunkel. Weiterhin sind Millionen ohne Strom.
(today)
The Chinese government has moved to ban all fuel exports amid a worsening supply crunch because of the severe disruption in tanker traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. The ban covers gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel, unnamed sources told Reuters.
The restrictions will take immediate effect, applying to all cargoes that had not passed through customs as of March 11, the sources also said.
Ayatollah Khamenei also addressed the leadership in neighboring countries, urging them to reconsider their relations with foreign powers using their territories to launch attacks against Iran.
“We share borders with 15 countries, both land and sea, and have always sought warm and constructive relations with them,” he said, adding that the enemy has established military and financial bases in some of these nations.
He made it clear that while Iran will continue to target these foreign bases, it remains committed to good relations with its neighbors, provided they stop hosting such foreign military installations.
Several vessels in the oil-rich Persian Gulf have been targeted in recent days as the US and Israel’s war with Iran spreads to the sea, sparking fears that disruption to the global oil supply could hit the world’s economy.
On Wednesday night, two foreign oil tankers in Iraqi waters were set ablaze by an Iranian attack, killing at least one person, with dozens of crew members rescued. Iran claimed responsibility, saying an underwater drone “blew up two oil tankers in the Persian Gulf,” Iranian state broadcaster IRIB reported.
IEA members hold emergency stockpiles of over 1.2 billion barrels, with a further 600 million barrels of industry stocks held under government obligation. The coordinated stock release is the sixth in the history of the IEA, which was created in 1974. Previous collective actions were taken in 1991, 2005, 2011, and twice in 2022.
The conflict in the Middle East that began on 28 February 2026 has impeded oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz, with export volumes of crude and refined products currently at less than 10% of pre-conflict levels. This is forcing operators across the region to shut in or curtail a substantial amount of production.
An average of 20 million barrels per day of crude oil and oil products transited the Strait of Hormuz in 2025, or around 25% of the world’s seaborne oil trade. Options for oil flows to bypass the Strait of Hormuz are limited.
Brent crude, the international standard, spiked to nearly $120 on Monday before falling back but was still at around $90 a barrel on Tuesday, nearly 24% higher than when the war started on Feb. 28. The Dow Jones Industrial Average drifted lower at the open Tuesday.
Iran has effectively stopped tankers from using the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of the world’s oil is carried. Attacks on merchant ships near the strait have killed at least seven sailors, according to the International Maritime Organization.
Roberto Morales Ojeda, member of the Political Bureau and Secretary of Organization of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba, emphasized on his social media profiles that “dignity never collapses,” recalling critical moments in national history.
The leader noted that neither in the disaster at La Fernandina for National Hero José Martí, nor at Alegría de Pío for the historical leader of the Cuban Revolution, Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro Ruz, nor in the October Crisis, was the option of surrender considered. “The enemy’s dream of seeing the white flag waving above the palm fronds is their true, unfulfilled desire,” he declared.
Morales Ojeda emphasized that this is not about isolated gestures from those who abandon collective resistance, but rather a major surrender that would bring an end to the history of the Cuban people’s struggles.
He pointed out that the country is going through difficult times under the impact of the imposed blockade, while the enemy boasts of causing shortages and is betting on the fall of the Revolution to gain political advantages. “However, no people has withstood the onslaught of the giant for so long,” he affirmed.
The Secretary of Organization stressed that independence is at stake and that “Only our sense of patriotism and unity have kept us safe.” “We will remain here, even if they never see the white flag waving above our palms,” he concluded.
(February 15, 2026)
Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, Cuba’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, thanked African heads of state and government today via his Twitter account for the resolution condemning the US economic, commercial, and financial blockade against the island.
The Cuban foreign minister described the decision of the 39th African Union Summit, concluded in Addis Ababa, as a show of solidarity. For the seventeenth consecutive time, the summit rejected the economic, financial, and commercial policies imposed by Washington.
The resolution also demanded, for the third time, Cuba’s removal from the illegal list compiled by the U.S. State Department of countries that allegedly sponsor terrorism.
(February 15, 2026)
The resolution reaffirms, once again, the deep historical, political, and solidarity ties that unite the peoples of Africa and Cuba, and constitutes a clear expression of African support for the elimination of this policy, which they consider unjust, illegal, and contrary to the principles of international law and the sovereignty of States.
(February 12, 2026)
Cuba’s current pain may not be enough to topple its Communist government, despite the desires of many Cuban exiles. Nor is the current crisis all Trump’s work. Cuba is a victim of the breakdown of the old international rules-based order.
(January 13, 2026)
Just weeks into a US pressure campaign to halt all oil shipments to the Caribbean island, a Bloomberg News analysis of satellite imagery finds the level of light at night has dropped as much as 50%
(January 30, 2026)
The Trump administration’s latest move to cut off oil shipments to an already-struggling Cuba is a significant escalation in the decades-long effort by the United States to topple the Cuban government.
On Thursday, President Trump declared a “national emergency” over what he called the “unusual and extraordinary threat” by Cuba for its hostile actions, including, he said, allowing Russia to spy on the United States from its territory and “welcoming” hostile nations, like Iran, and terrorist groups, like Hamas and Hezbollah. (Mr. Trump did not provide evidence for any of those claims.)
On New Year’s Eve, US Southern Command said the military struck two boats “operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations,” killing five people.
The day before, Tuesday, the US struck what it described as a “convoy” of three boats participating in the trafficking of narcotics, SOUTHCOM announced in a post to X on Wednesday. Three people aboard one boat were killed, while those in the other two abandoned their vessel.
SOUTHCOM said it notified the US Coast Guard after Tuesday’s strike to activate search and rescue efforts. It’s unclear whether any survivors have been recovered.
Yet, while Chile does not recognize the legitimacy of the Maduro regime, that country’s representative rejected any armed activity that could risk regional peace and stability. She also underlined the imperative of respecting international law, which, Brazil’s representative observed, includes the UN Charter’s prohibition against the threat or use of force. The United States’ activities are generating tensions in a region characterized by “stability and peaceful coexistence”, added Colombia’s representative, warning that military escalation not only heightens the risk of a broader conflict but also undermines collective efforts to prevent conflict and promote regional stability.
“History demonstrates that the threat or the use of force invariably leads to greater human suffering and the erosion of the international legal order,” observed Mexico’s representative. He underscored that, regardless of the country or region involved, “dialogue and negotiation are the only legitimate and effective ways of resolving — in the long run — existing differences”. Urging all parties to act with restraint, he added: “It is exclusively up to the Venezuelan people to determine [their country’s] political future.”
Briefing on Venezuela
10080th meeting – Threats to international peace and security
Der UN-Sicherheitsrat kommt heute zu einer Dringlichkeitssitzung zusammen, um über die Spannungen zwischen Venezuela und den USA zu beraten. Die Regierung in Caracas hatte die Sitzung mit Unterstützung Russlands und Chinas gefordert. Unterdessen wird auch die Rhetorik der US-Regierung gegenüber Venezuela immer deutlicher.
resident Javier Milei clashed with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Saturday at the regional Mercosur summit about the fate of Venezuela, as US President Donald Trump ratcheted up the pressure on Caracas.
Sparring comments from Lula and Milei came at a meeting of the South American bloc, at which a future trade deal with the European Union was on the agenda.