Iran's “valiant navy” is “ready to inflict new bitter defeats on its enemies,” Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei said.
Mr. Khamenei sent the defiant message on Saturday (April 18, 2026) as Iran swiftly reimposed restrictions on the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran-Israel war LIVE
In a message celebrating the anniversary of the establishment of Iran's army, he hailed Iran's drone strikes that targeted Israel and the U.S. interests across the region during the war.
The country’s joint military command said on Saturday (April 18, 2026) that it “control of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state... under strict management and control of the armed forces.” It warned that it would continue to block transit through the strait as long as the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports remained in effect.
