U.S. Prepares Strait of Hormuz Blockade as Regional Allies Warn of Energy Shock

The U.S. military is set to commence a full naval blockade of all Iranian ports on April 13, 2026, a move confirmed by U.S. Central Command. The blockade, scheduled to begin at 10:00 a.m. EDT, has triggered immediate reactions from Tehran. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has issued a warning stating that any U.S. naval presence in the Strait of Hormuz during this period will be viewed as a violation of existing ceasefire agreements. Amid these tensions, Iranian Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Naqer Ghalibaf taunted President Trump regarding rising domestic fuel costs in the United States. The geopolitical standoff is causing significant economic ripples among U.S. allies in the Indo-Pacific. In the Philippines, the national currency has depreciated past the 60-peso mark against the dollar due to fears of a global oil shock. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is expected to announce emergency measures, including the potential suspension of fuel excise taxes, to protect the domestic economy from projected price spikes. While a fuel price rollback was scheduled for April 14, analysts warn that the volatility surrounding the Hormuz blockade may quickly reverse those gains.