Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz again in response to Israeli attacks on Lebanon, Iranian state media reported on Wednesday (April 8) via the Associated Press.

The decision came house after President Donald Trump announced that a temporary ceasefire agreement had been reached between the U.S. and Iran during discussions with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir of Pakistan in a post on his Truth Social account Tuesday (April 7). The president said the agreement would be "subject to the Islamic Republic of Iran agreeing to the "COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz," which serves as a vital waterway for trade along the Persian Gulf responsible for an estimated 20% of the world's oil supply traveling through and has been blockaded by Iran in retaliation of the war, leading to a spike in gas prices, though the exact terms of the deal haven't been released.

An Iranian official also reportedly warned foreign ships that they'd be "destroyed" if they attempted to pass through the Strait of Hormuz without permission despite the temporary ceasefire agreement with the United States hinging on the vital waterway.

“You must receive permission from Iranian Sepah navy for passing through the strait. If any vessel tries to transit without permission, will be destroyed,” the official said in audio shared by a crew member to the Wall Street Journal.

Trump's ceasefire announcement came hours after he claimed that "a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again."

"A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will," Trump wrote. "However, now that we have Complete and Total Regime Change, where different, smarter, and less radicalized minds prevail, maybe something revolutionarily wonderful can happen, WHO KNOWS? We will find out tonight, one of the most important moments in the long and complex history of the World. 47 years of extortion, corruption, and death, will finally end. God Bless the Great People of Iran!"

Trump had previously gone on a tirade against Iran and appeared to mock the praising Allah, the Arabic term for the one, supreme, and universal God in Islam, while telling the regime to "open the f**kin" Strait of Hormuz or he'd ensure the Islamic Republic's leaders end up in hell in a Truth Social post shared on Easter Sunday.

“Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “There will be nothing like it!!! Open the F**kin’ Strait, you crazy b*****ds, or you’ll be living in Hell - JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah. President DONALD J. TRUMP."

Trump warned that Iran had until Monday (April 6) to accept his proposed peace deal or he would consider “blowing everything up and taking over the oil" via FOX News. Iran officials previously vowed to escalate the ongoing war amid Trump's threats.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards warned that the Islamic Republic would increase attacks on oil and civilian infrastructure facilities if the U.S. and Israel followed through on their own escalation plans. The public warning came after Iran had already claimed responsibility for attacks on petrochemical plants in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait, a key U.S. ally in the region, that took place over the weekend.

Kuwait suffered the heaviest damage, with two power and one water desalination plants being hit and damaged during the 24-hour attacks, according to its Electricity and Water Ministry. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps also warned of potential strikes on U.S. economic interests in the Middle East if civilian attacks in Iran continued.

Scott Ryfun

Scott Ryfun