Iran Closes The Strait Of Hormuz Again & Israel Unleashes on Hezbollah

April 9, 2026

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Iran Closes The Strait of Hormuz Again & Israel Unleashes on Hezbollah

The President's Daily Brief — April 9, 2025

The Strait of Hormuz: Ceasefire in Name Only

The Strait of Hormuz is supposed to be open again under a two-week ceasefire between Iran and the United States. Oil prices dropped sharply on the news, with Brent crude pulling back as traders bet supply disruptions would ease. But the ships aren't moving. There has been no meaningful surge in traffic — just a handful of vessels have made the passage since the ceasefire took effect. No long queues forming, no rush of tankers trying to break through.

The gap between the headline and the reality is wide. Iran remains firmly in control of who gets through and how. Under the current arrangement, vessels are expected to coordinate with Iranian military forces before transiting. That alone gives many operators pause. But there is more: reports indicate Iran is demanding payments for passage, with fees reportedly reaching as high as $5 million per vessel. For a large crude tanker carrying roughly two million barrels, that works out to about $2.50 per barrel. Payments, according to reports, would be required in crypto, allowing Tehran to sidestep sanctions while maintaining tight controls. Iranian officials have made clear that vessels that do not comply could be targeted.

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What you'll learn

1 (00:22) **Strait of Hormuz: Ceasefire in Name Only** - Iran reneges on reopening the strait, blocking oil tankers and demanding permission for passage.
2 (07:18) **Iran-Linked Hackers Target US Critical Infrastructure** - A new federal advisory warns that regime-linked hackers are actively disrupting US oil, gas, and water systems.
3 (10:55) **Israel Unleashes on Hezbollah, Ignoring Ceasefire Confusion** - Israel conducts its most intense strikes of the war on Hezbollah, even as the terror group reportedly stands down under the US-Iran ceasefire.
4 (17:45) **Back of the Brief: Ukraine Gains Edge in Drone Warfare** - New data shows Ukraine is now deploying 30% more strike drones than Russia, reversing an earlier deficit.
5 Standout Quotes
6 "The Strait of Hormuz is supposed to be open again, but in reality, well, that has yet to happen." - Mike Baker, on the gap between the ceasefire announcement and the on-water reality.
7 "Government and experts have been warning about internet connected systems for years and how vulnerable they are. The companies who paid attention already removed those systems and followed the guidance. The concern now is for the ones that didn't." - Source familiar with the federal advisory on Iran-linked cyber attacks.

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Show Notes

In this episode of The President's Daily Brief:

The Strait of Hormuz is supposed to be open, but ships aren’t moving, Iran is still in control, and the reality on the water looks very different from the headlines.

Iran-linked hackers target U.S. oil, gas, and water systems, triggering a federal warning and raising fresh concerns about vulnerabilities inside America’s critical infrastructure.

Israel ramps up its campaign in Lebanon with its most intense strikes yet, making clear Hezbollah is not part of the current ceasefire.

And in today’s Back of the Brief—the balance shifts in Ukraine’s drone war, with Kyiv now deploying significantly more strike drones than Russian forces.

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