An Iranian general warned Wednesday that Tehran could shut down traffic in the Red Sea and other regional shipping lanes if the U.S. military’s blockade of Iranian ports continues. 

The remarks from Maj. Gen. Ali Abdollahi Aliabadi of the Khatam-al Anbiya Central Headquarters, which is Iran’s top military command, were aired by Iranian state television, according to the Middle East Eye. 

Aliabadi said if the U.S. blockade continues, it "creates insecurity for Iran's commercial vessels and oil tankers" and constitutes "a prelude" to violating the ongoing U.S.-Iran ceasefire, the news outlet reported. 

"The powerful armed forces of the Islamic Republic will not allow any exports or imports to continue in the Persian Gulf, the Sea of Oman, and the Red Sea," Aliabadi reportedly added.

LIVE UPDATES: US MILITARY MAINTAINING BLOCKADE ON IRANIAN PORTS AS PEACE TALKS ARE SET TO BEGIN

The White House, when asked by Fox News Digital for comment, provided a statement from press secretary Karoline Leavitt in which she said "President Trump, Vice President Vance and the negotiating team have made the U.S. redlines very clear."

"The Iranians’ desperation for a deal will only increase with President Trump’s highly effective Naval blockade now in effect, which is sending oil tankers towards the big, beautiful Gulf of America," Leavitt said.

U.S. Central Command released a statement Wednesday saying the U.S. stopped nine vessels attempting to break the blockade on Iranian ports. Fox News is told all nine were oil tankers.

A senior U.S. defense official also confirmed to Fox News on Wednesday a report from Reuters that a U.S. destroyer interdicted two oil tankers that were trying to leave Iran on Tuesday. 

TRUMP SAYS US COULD 'TAKE' IRAN'S URANIUM AFTER STRIKES: HOW IT WOULD WORK

A U.S. official told Reuters that the ships left Chabahar port in the Gulf of Oman before being contacted by the U.S. warship through radio communication.  

"During the first 48 hours of the U.S. blockade on ships entering and exiting Iranian ports, no vessels have made it past U.S. forces," U.S. Central Command said Wednesday.

"Additionally, 9 vessels have complied with direction from U.S. forces to turn around and return toward an Iranian port or coastal area," it added. 

Fox News’ Liz Friden contributed to this report. 

PETA’s youth-focused division, PETA2, is once again proving that the animal rights group can’t resist injecting radical leftist politics into its activism, even when targeting impressionable youth.

On Tuesday, the youth and teen outreach arm posted images to Instagram under the caption, “drop a comment if you are any of these please and thank you.”

The images feature meme-style graphics styled like AI prompts, “computer bring me a bisexual vegan boy,” “computer bring me a dom vegan girl,” and “computer bring me a submissive nb vegan” (meaning non-binary).

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by peta2 (@peta2)

According to PETA, the kink-promoting PETA2 arm is meant to appeal to youth as young as 13.

PETA2 has over 200,000 Instagram followers and regularly mixes animal welfare messaging with progressive social causes aimed at young audiences. The post had over 500 likes, but still no comments by Wednesday afternoon.

This isn’t PETA’s first jump into transgender and LGBTQ activism.

In a previous campaign, PETA featured transgender model and actor Carmen Carrera in a “Transform Your Wardrobe” campaign.

Carrera appeared naked in promotional materials for the organization, covered in transgender flag colored censor bars.

Yet PETA founder and president Ingrid Newkirk has repeatedly insisted the organization is not a “lefty” group.

In a 2014 Washington Examiner op-ed titled “PETA a ‘lefty’ group? Think again,” Newkirk claimed, “PETA fights cruelty to animals across all lines, period,” and “There’s nothing ‘lefty’ about that.”

Newkirk insisted the group’s mission is nonpartisan and focused solely on animal welfare, not political ideologies.

Their actions clearly tell another story.

They just think you’re suckers.

Just months ago, in November, PETA drew criticism for going on a jealous rant against the White Coat Waste Project (WCW), a more effective taxpayer watchdog group successfully working with Republicans and Democrats to end federal animal testing programs.

White Coat Waste famously exposed the transgender animal testing being funded by taxpayers, and has continued fighting to end it.

PETA officials lashed out at WCW for its “young-male-testosterone energy” and accused it of attacking other groups for fundraising purposes.

One PETA activist reportedly reacted to WCW’s criticism of an NIH official by asking, “Have they lost their f-cking minds?”

Despite PETA’s massive budget and decades of protests, WCW has racked up tangible wins, including ending primate testing at the Department of Veterans Affairs, closing the FDA’s largest monkey lab, and slashing NIH-funded experiments.

PETA has struggled to deliver results, seemingly preferring to pander to identity politics and rub elbows with officials in DC.

Instead of focusing on those kinds of concrete victories or the animals it claims to defend, PETA is busy playing matchmaker for “bisexual vegan boys” and “submissive non-binary vegans.”

The post’s awkward attempt to blend niche identity labels and kink with veganism comes across less like serious advocacy and more like a desperate bid to stay relevant with Gen Z and Alpha, both of which went through a pretty crazy rainbow trend for a few years.

PETA has long positioned itself as the loudest voice for animals, but posts like this one reveal where its priorities increasingly lie, not stopping animal testing, but ensuring the movement stays firmly aligned with the latest progressive cause du jour.

The post PETA’s Youth Outreach Arm, Aimed at Kids as Young as 13, Posts Looking for ‘Bisexual Vegan Boy,’ ‘Dom Vegan Girl,’ and ‘Submissive NB Vegan’ in Creepy and Vile Instagram Post appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

The UK’s oil refining industry is vital to national energy security and supplies petrochemical products, but since 2019, two of the UK’s six refineries have closed.  The oil industry’s decline is driven […]

The post Net Zero: Premeditated Industrial Destruction (Part 5) first appeared on The Expose.

The U.N. Navy is aggressively enforcing the blockade against Iran, according to a U.S. official who said two oil tankers attempting to leave Iran were intercepted and turned back by an American destroyer on Tuesday.

The post U.S. Navy Destroyer Prevents Two Oil Tankers from Leaving Iran appeared first on Breitbart.

China is winning a global infrastructure war that most Americans don't even know is being fought.

The post Exclusive—Gary Rabine and Alfredo Ortiz: America Needs Its Own Belt and Road Initiative Done Right appeared first on Breitbart.

A knife-wielding woman who allegedly abducted a toddler in a Nebraska Walmart Tuesday was shot and killed by police in the parking lot.

The post Knife-Wielding Woman Shot Dead After Allegedly Abducting Toddler in Walmart appeared first on Breitbart.

Snap, the company behind popular social media platform Snapchat, is eliminating roughly 1,000 positions, representing 16 percent of its workforce, as chief executive Evan Spiegel warns that the company is facing a "crucible moment" in its pursuit of lasting profitability.

The post ‘Crucible Moment’: Social Media Giant Snap to Lay Off 1,000 Employees as It Embraces AI appeared first on Breitbart.

First Lady Melania Trump is joining the House Ways and Means Committee on Wednesday afternoon for a roundtable discussion to advance legislation to protect children in foster care.

The post Melania Trump to Join Lawmakers for Roundtable Discussion on Empowering Foster Care Children appeared first on Breitbart.

Nigel Farage's Reform UK party has vowed to take steps to mitigate the financial impacts of the so-called "Boriswave" of post-Brexit migrants and to hold a national inquiry into those responsible for importing millions of foreigners into the country against the wishes of the British people.

The post Farage Vows National Inquiry on ‘Boriswave’ Catastrophe, Prevent Migrants From Permanent Residency appeared first on Breitbart.

Olaolukitan Adon Abel was arrested Monday in connection with various shootings, including two murders, in DeKalb County, Georgia. 

The post Naturalized Citizen Olaolukitan Adon Abel Arrested in Connection with Georgia Shootings appeared first on Breitbart.

Australian police have reportedly launched an investigation after actress Ruby Rose accused pop star Katy Perry of sexual assault in social media posts. The "I Kissed a Girl" singer, meanwhile, strongly denies the allegations.

The post Australian Police Launch Investigation After Ruby Rose Accuses Katy Perry of Sexual Assault appeared first on Breitbart.

The far-left Mediaite launched a newsletter called One Sheet a few months back, and already its editor, Colby Hall, has been suspended for fabricated quotes and a series of misattributions.

The post Nolte: Mediaite Editor Suspended for Fabricated Quotes, Misattributions appeared first on Breitbart.

Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chairman Andrew Ferguson announced a settlement that bars major advertising firms from colluding to boycott platforms based on disfavored political viewpoints.

The post FTC Announces Settlement Barring Major Ad Agencies from Colluding to Boycott Platforms Based on ‘Misinformation’ appeared first on Breitbart.

"I love your country and I would love to see it succeed", President Trump said as he listed off "insane" energy and mass migration policies.

The post President Trump May Kill Preferential Trade Deal if Britain Doesn’t Straighten Itself Out appeared first on Breitbart.

Katy Perry is under investigation for sexual assault in Australia.

The singer, who is currently dating former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, is under investigation by police in Melbourne over an incident that took place 16 years ago.

The accusation comes from Ruby Rose, an Australian model and actress.

Victoria police said in a statement.

“Melbourne sexual offences and child abuse investigation team (SOCIT) detectives are investigating [an alleged] historical sexual assault that occurred in Melbourne in 2010.”

“Police have been told the incident occurred at a licensed premises in Melbourne’s CBD.”

“As the investigation remains ongoing, it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage.”

The investigation comes days after Rose made allegations about Perry’s behavior on social media.

“Katy Perry sexual assaulted me at spice market nightclub in Melbourne,” she wrote in reaction to a post detailing Perry’s reaction to Justin Bieber’s performance at the Coachella music festival.

”Who gives a shit what she thinks,” she added.

Rose claimed that Perry had rubbed her “disgusting vagina” on her face, causing her to vomit.

Ruby Rose has accused Katy Perry of sexually assaulting her around 20 years ago.

She alleges Perry rubbed her “disgusting v**ina” on her face, causing Rose to vomit. She adds that she filed a police report regarding the incident a few hours ago. pic.twitter.com/2qeRxhBm7E

— Pop Base (@PopBase) April 13, 2026

Representatives for Perry have vociferously denied the claims.

“The allegations being circulated on social media by Ruby Rose about Katy Perry are not only categorically false, they are dangerous reckless lies.”

”Ms Rose has a well-documented history of making serious public allegations on social media against various individuals, claims that have repeatedly been denied by those named.”

Rose has since said that the accusation is allowing her to “start the healing process” and “move forward.

“As of this afternoon, I have finalized all of my reports,” she wrote on social media yesterday.

”This means I am no longer able to comment, repost, or talk publicly about any of those cases, or the individuals involved.”

“This is a standard request from the police and in many ways, quite the relief.“

Trump-hating Singer Katy Perry Accused Of Sexual Misconduct…AGAIN (VIDEO)

Perry is known for her left-wing activism.

As well as dating Trudeau, she remains a vocal supporter of the Democrat Party, campaigning for Hillary Clinton in 2016 and later backing Joe Biden in 2020.

She is also known for promoting causes such as LGBT rights and voter turnout.

The post Justin Trudeau’s Lovebird Katy Perry Under Investigation for Sexual Assault in Australia appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Brian Cole, the alleged DNC pipe bomber, was hit with a superseding indictment on Wednesday.

The superseding indictment added two more charges: Interstate Transportation of Explosives and Malicious Attempt to Use Explosives.

JUST IN: DOJ has obtained a superseding indictment of alleged DNC/RNC pipe bomber Brian Cole pic.twitter.com/RGFVyjbEuY

— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) April 15, 2026

Brian Cole, 30, of Woodridge, Virginia, was taken into custody in December and charged with use of an explosive device and attempted malicious destruction by means of explosive materials.

Cole initially admitted to investigators that he planted pipe bombs at the RNC and DNC headquarters on January 5, the night before the Capitol riot.

However, Cole pleaded not guilty to the charges this year.

The FBI identified Cole based on his phone pings and transaction history on his credit cards, according to an affidavit.

The FBI has identified one bank checking account and six credit cards (the “Accounts”) used by COLE. The FBI obtained records for the checking account and three credit cards for the time period January 2018 to January 2021. Three additional credit cards were obtained for the time period of January 2018 to November 2025. The FBI reviewed the transaction history for all of these Accounts.

Cole’s family said he is an “autistic recluse” and “computer nerd” who lived in the basement of his parents’ Woodbridge, Virginia, home.

Brian Cole’s grandmother told The Daily Mail that her grandson has no party affiliation and that he is not a Trump supporter.

Cole’s attorneys argued that their client is covered by President Trump’s blanket January 6 pardons.

Earlier this month, Brian Cole’s lawyers filed a motion for early return of subpoenas and publicly disclosed information about the DOJ’s review of Capitol Police Officer Shauni Kerkhoff’s alleged role in January 6.

As TGP’s Brian Lupo previously reported, in a motion filed a couple of weeks ago, Brian Cole’s lawyers alleged, “according to discovery produced by the government in this case,” “the FBI began investigating, questioning, and covertly surveilling” Kerkhoff “during the time it began investigating Mr. Cole.”

On November 6, 2025, Kerkhoff was interviewed by the FBI and took a polygraph examination.

“She was asked two relevant questions: (1) “Did you place those pipe bombs?” and (2) “Did you place those pipe bombs that evening?” Ms. Kerkhoff failed the polygraph. The FBI polygraph examiner noted Kerkhoff’s “very controlled reaction to the news of her failing the polygraph and seemingly rehearsed responses to the examiner’s questions.”” the motion said.

Later that day, the Justice Department moved to hold Brian Cole’s lawyers in contempt for violating a protective order and publicly posting allegations against former Capitol Police officer Shauni Kerkhoff.

The motion filed by Brian Cole’s lawyers was removed from the public docket.

The post Alleged DNC Pipe Bomber Brian Cole Hit with Two Additional Charges in Superseding Indictment appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

The post ABLECHILD: World on Psych Drugs: Will the Turkey Mass Shooting Expose an Out‑of‑Control Global Psychiatric Drug Industry? appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

During Tuesday night’s game between the New York Islanders and the Carolina Hurricanes on Long Island, hockey fans rallied to help jailed ex-NYPD Sgt. Erik Duran, during a fundraising push to help him in his fight to overturn the controversial sentence handed down by a far-left judge.

In August 2023, fleeing drug suspect Eric Duprey died after a Duran tossed a cooler he grabbed from a local family’s sidewalk table at him. Duprey, who was fleeing a Bronx buy-and-bust drug sting at the time, was knocked off his bike. Duprey died from injuries following the incident.

Duran was charged with second-degree manslaughter in January 2024.

Last week, The New York Post reported that radical Bronx Judge Guy Mitchell handed Duran a sentence of 3 to 9 years in prison despite pleas from the father of three to show mercy.

“Your honor, I am asking for a chance to be there with my kids. I am asking for a chance, just one,” Duran said.

During the Islanders game,  the NYPD’s Sergeants Benevolent Association shared a fundraiser for Duran on the Jumbotron to help him raise funds to overturn the harsh sentence.

The New York Post reports:

“This is all about Erik’s family,” said union head Vincent Vallelong, who was joined at the game by Post executive Patrick Judge, Islanders co-owner Jon Ledecky and other SBA members.

“Whatever it takes to get him out, is exactly what it is everyone on this board believes and everybody in law enforcement is going to do at this point. The message is that basically, this is going to affect law enforcement across the nation. They all feel that this can happen in their cities.”

Islanders fans were given the option to donate directly to the fund, which had already raised $40,000 as of Tuesday morning, via a QR code displayed on the jumbotron.

A portion of Tuesday night’s 50/50 raffle that took in nearly $45,000 will also go toward the legal fund launched Monday by the SBA to help Duran appeal his conviction.

The fundraiser, spearheaded by The National Police Defense Foundation (NPDF) notes, “In August 2023, Sgt. Erik Duran, a highly decorated member of the NYPD, was supervising a “buy and bust” operation in the Bronx. One of the suspects attempted to evade capture by mounting a nearby motorcycle and driving it on the sidewalk, directly at responding officers. Fearing that his officers would be seriously injured or killed by fleeing felon Eric Duprey, Sgt. Duran grabbed an Igloo cooler and hurled it at Duprey to divert him from crashing into his officers, their prisoner, or bystanders.”

“Sgt. Duran’s actions saved the lives of innocent civilians nearby, his officers and their prisoner. Unfortunately, suspect Duprey, a known member of the Trinitarios street gang who was not wearing a helmet, was killed. Attorney General Leticia James chose to prosecute the Sergeant for Manslaughter, and after a bench trial in February 2026, Sgt. Duran was found guilty of Second-degree Manslaughter.”

“On April 9th, 2026, Judge Guy Mitchell sentenced the former Sergeant to three to nine years in prison, and he was immediately taken into custody after sentencing in what the National Police Defense Foundation believes is a blatant miscarriage of justice. We believe that Sgt. Duran never intended for the suspect to be injured or killed. The sole predicate for his actions that day was to protect his officers, other suspects and bystanders from Duprey, who recklessly fled at a high rate of speed along a pedestrian walkway created a clear and present danger of death or serious bodily injuries to others, thereby justifying the Sergeant’s actions.”

“At the direction of Executive Director Joseph Occhipinti and the Executive Board, the National Police Defense Foundation has created the Sgt. Erik Duran Legal Defense Fund. We encourage all our members to donate whatever they can so that bail can be arranged for the former Sergeant pending appeal.”

You can support Sgt. Duran here.

The post New York Hockey Fans Rally to Help NYPD Sergeant Who Received Outrageous Sentence from Far-Left Judge appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.