Tehran/Washington, DC: In further escalation of the Middle East crisis, the US confirmed on Wednesday that a full-scale blockade of Iranian ports is now underway.
The operation, targetting vessels entering or leaving Iranian ports across both the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, is being enforced by the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) with support from the Navy.
The blockade effectively covers “the entirety of the Iranian coastline, including ports and energy infrastructure”, maritime advisories have noted.
Movement of ships are being technically allowed through the Strait of Hormuz between non-Iranian destinations, but these are now operating under heavy military presence and heightened risk conditions.
This is a coercive step to force Iran into compliance, US president Donald Trump said, stating that the US “can’t let a country blackmail or extort the world”, as reported by timesnow.in.
The effects of the blockade have started showing with at least two oil tankers that approached the Strait of Hormuz reversing course shortly.
Iran had been selectively allowing passage to “friendly” vessels while reportedly imposing transit fees. With the blockade imposed by the US forces, uncertainty has intensified across shipping lines.
Soon after the blockade, Iran issued warnings targeting ports across the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, including those belonging to US-aligned states. This raises the risk of the conflict spilling beyond a bilateral confrontation into a broader regional maritime crisis. Any retaliatory targeting of commercial or energy infrastructure could significantly widen the theatre of operations.
This development comes at a time when a fragile two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran is nearing its end. Negotiations between the two countries in Islamabad on Sunday also failed to yield any results.
This escalatory move by the US has surprised many as it comes a day after Washington indicated that the possibility of a second round of talks with Iran is being discussed.
This fresh move by the US could lead to a global energy shock, with oil prices already showing volatility.
Militarily, enforcing a blockade against a country with asymmetric naval capabilities – including fast attack craft and swarm tactics – poses inherent risks to US forces operating in confined waters.
