US says reports of Strait of Hormuz closing again are 'completely unacceptable'

Gavin J. Quinton, Los Angeles Times on Apr 8, 2026

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Reopening the Strait of Hormuz was a central pillar of the delicate ceasefire deal between Iran and the United States, but questions arose Wednesday about when commerce will begin to flow unimpeded through the vital waterway.

Fars News, an Iranian media agency closely associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, reported Wednesday that the Iranian Navy has issued new threats to oil tankers attempting to transit the strait of Hormuz, citing shipping sources.

“Any vessel trying to travel into the sea ... will be targeted and destroyed,” the Navy reportedly told ships.

Asked at a press briefing Wednesday about media reports that the strait was closed again, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Donald Trump’s expectation is that the waterway will be reopened immediately and safely.

“The president was made aware of those reports before I came to the podium,” she said, calling them “completely unacceptable.” She said the reports were false, and they prove that what Iran says publicly often differs from its private negotiations.

Maritime traffic remains heavily restricted through the strait, as transport companies await safety assurances from Iranian armed forces before attempting the journey. There have been at least 28 reports of incidents affecting vessels operating in the region.

Maersk, a Danish shipping company, said it is working “with urgency” to obtain clarity about potential commercial passage through the Strait, the Associated Press reported.

“Any decision to transit the Strait of Hormuz will be based on continuous risk assessments, close monitoring of the security situation, and available guidance from relevant authorities and partners,” the company said on its website.

Meanwhile, the Tasnim news agency, another Revolutionary Guard-aligned outlet, reported that Iran may consider backing out of its ceasefire deal with the United States over Israeli airstrikes Wednesday in Lebanon.

The claims were not publicly confirmed by Iranian officials.

Uncertainty about the durability of the ceasefire agreement arose Wednesday morning, when the Israeli military ordered massive strikes in Lebanon, hitting over 100 targets simultaneously over south and east Lebanon and in Beirut, killing at least 112 civilians, according to Lebanese health officials.

Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have both maintained that that Lebanon is not subject to the current pause in hostilities. Trump told PBS Friday morning that “they are not included in that deal.” Asked why, he said, “because of Hezbollah. They were not included in the deal. That’ll get taken care of too. It’s all right.”

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that he was aware of several violations of the ceasefire across the conflict zone. Though he fell short of detailing violations, he said the attacks “undermine the spirit of peace process.”

“I earnestly and sincerely urge all parties to exercise restraint and respect the ceasefire for two weeks, as agreed upon, so that diplomacy can take a lead role towards peaceful settlement of the conflict,” he wrote on X.

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