The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) has announced that US forces will begin enforcing a blockade on all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports from Monday morning, escalating tensions in the Gulf region.
According to a statement, the move follows a directive by Donald Trump, and will be applied “impartially” to vessels of all nations operating in and around Iranian ports, including those along the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.
CENTCOM clarified that the blockade would not affect freedom of navigation for ships passing through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports.
The announcement came shortly after President Trump stated on the social media platform Truth Social that the United States Navy would begin blocking ships attempting to enter or exit the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump said the United States and its allies would deploy minesweepers in the strait to remove sea mines and ensure the safety of commercial shipping lanes.
Reacting to the development, the naval command of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned that any “wrong move” in the Strait of Hormuz could have severe consequences, cautioning that adversaries could be trapped in “deadly whirlpools.”
The latest escalation underscores growing tensions between Washington and Tehran, raising concerns over the security of one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints.