Hey there, from CNN. I'm David Rind, with the five things you need to know for Thursday,

April 30th.

Mr. President, Freddie, Iran, how long are you prepared to maintain the blockade? Could

that go several more months?

Well, the blockade is genius.

That was President Donald Trump yesterday talking about his current strategy in dealing with Iran.

Now they have to cry uncle. That's all they have to do, just say, we give up. We give up.

But there's no sign Iran is willing to give up, despite the major economic pain being inflicted by the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports.

So today is sorts familiar with the matter tell CNN that Trump is going to be briefed

by Pentagon officials about updated military options for Iran.

Now Trump is regularly updated about military plans, but it's clear he's keeping his options

open.

CNN Global Affairs analyst Karim Sajapur says Iran's closure of the Strait of Ormuz continues

to spike gas prices in the U.S. up to 4.30 a gallon on average today, according to AAA.

But what's happening inside Iran is even worse.

This is an economy which is really suffering 70% inflation among the highest in the world

and reports of malnourishment. So right now it's a policy of mutual strangulation to see who runs out of oxygen first.

The difference is very stark in that President Trump needs the American economy to thrive.

This is a regime which only needs to survive.

And so we've seen in the past, they're willing to inflict enormous hardship

on their own people. They're willing to kill thousands of their own people to stay in power.

So their pain threshold is very high. More news coming up, including midterm madness. And it's not

...