It is getting clearer by the day that elected nincompoop sitting on the world’s largest stockpile of nuclear weapons will leave a lasting damage on the world order. The man who claims to be an ace dealmaker is anything but that.
The announcement today, April 12, 2026, that the United States will begin a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is unprecedented in its implications. If carried out, it would constitute an act of war against nations whose vessels are intercepted.
If the U.S. Navy were to stop a Chinese, Malaysian, Japanese, or Indian vessel, it could be interpreted as a hostile act against those states. This is the essence of what has been signaled
Under the San Remo Manual on International Law Applicable to Armed Conflicts at Sea, a blockade is a recognized method of warfare. It is not a suggestion, nor is it a simple sanction; it involves the use of military force to prevent vessels—including those of neutral nations—from accessing certain maritime areas. Stopping or boarding vessels from countries such as Sri Lanka, Japan, China, or India could therefore raise serious questions under international law and be viewed as escalatory.
The Strait of Hormuz is governed by the right of transit passage under UNCLOS, a right that is generally considered non-suspendable in peacetime.
This statement follows closely on the heels of an April 7 remark in which the same leader reportedly said, “A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again.” While many commentators avoided characterizing it as such, the statement could be interpreted as a clear threat to use nuclear weapons to vaporize the entire nation of Iran.
For neutral oil importing countries like Australia, India, Japan, China, and dozens of others, this threat of blockage is alarming. One could say Iran was also doing something similar. However, Iran’s reason was understandable. It was being subjected to an illegal attack, and had very little leverage to hit back. Blocking Hormuz was one key weapon in its arsenal. That context differs from a scenario in which the United States initiates a blockade.
If the U.S. Navy were to implement such a plan, it could significantly escalate tensions and it could well be triggering a World War III.