In accordance with the declaration yesterday by U.S. President Donald Trump, a complete naval blockade on all Iranian ports went into effect today at 5:00 p.m. (Israel time).
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has begun a large-scale deployment of forces in the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea to enforce the restriction on maritime movement.
According to a statement from the U.S. military, the blockade will be enforced equally on all vessels, regardless of their country of origin or the flag they carry. The restriction includes all Iranian ports located along the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.
In an unusual warning issued earlier today to sailors worldwide, it was clarified that any vessel entering or leaving the blockade zone without prior authorization will be subject to seizure, interception, or forced rerouting.
The U.S. military emphasized that even vessels from neutral countries may be subject to thorough inspections to ensure they are not carrying prohibited cargo.
Despite the stringent measures, the United States stressed that the blockade is not intended to interfere with “innocent passage" of vessels heading to non-Iranian destinations. “The blockade will be enforced east of the Strait of Hormuz," the official statement said, “and will not affect neutral vessels transiting the strait en route to other destinations."
Following the commencement of the blockade, President Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform: "Iran’s Navy is laying at the bottom of the sea, completely obliterated - 158 ships. What we have not hit are their small number of, what they call, 'fast attack ships,' because we did not consider them much of a threat. Warning: If any of these ships come anywhere close to our BLOCKADE, they will be immediately ELIMINATED, using the same system of kill that we use against the drug dealers on boats at Sea. It is quick and brutal. P.S. 98.2% of Drugs coming into the U.S. by Ocean or Sea have STOPPED! Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DJT."