A naval blockade of Iranian ports and of the , with CENTCOM warships taking up their positions, goes into effect.
The embargo was put into effect, according to the deadline set by the US president, .
From now on, ships of all countries entering or leaving Iranian ports and coastal areas will be subject to the US military blockade.
US Central Command said it would continue to allow ships traveling between non-Iranian ports to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
However, it remains unclear
Trump: Any ship that comes close will be hit
Regarding the blockade, Trump said in a post that Iran’s navy has been “almost completely destroyed.” He said “158 ships are now on the seabed”, noting that US forces have not targeted a small number of high-speed vessels, as he said they were “not considered a significant threat”.
Trump also issued a stern warning, stressing that any of these vessels that come close to the US blockade “will be neutralized immediately”, with methods similar to those used against drug traffickers at sea, which he described as “fast and tough”.
In the same post, he also claimed that US operations have led to a drastic reduction in drug trafficking by sea, stating that “98.2% of drugs entering the US by sea have now been stopped”.
Live traffic in the Straits of Hormuz
Vessel tracker shows traffic in Strait of Hormuz
— Reuters (@Reuters)
Blocking points
The US military will impose a blockade in the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea east of the Strait of Hormuz and will apply to the traffic of ships regardless of flag, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a memo to sailors, according to Reuters news agency.
“Any vessel entering or leaving the restricted area without permission will be subject to interception, diversion and seizure,” the memo said.
“The blockade will not prevent neutral transit through the Strait of Hormuz to or from non-Iranian destinations.”
In the memo, CENTCOM also states that the blockade covers “the entire Iranian coastline,” including but not limited to Iranian ports and oil terminals.
CENTCOM warns that vessels “entering or exiting the restricted area without authorization are subject to interception, diversion and seizure.”
It adds that humanitarian shipments such as food and medical supplies will be allowed, subject to inspection.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says military ships approaching the straits will be “dealt with sternly”.\
