Get you up to speed: US military begins blockade of Iranian ports amid Strait of Hormuz tensions
Donald Trump announced that the American military has initiated a blockade of Iranian ports to compel Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz and accept a deal. The US military’s Central Command stated that the blockade would be enforced against vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas.
Donald Trump announced that the American military has initiated a blockade of Iranian ports to pressure Iran into reopening the Strait of Hormuz, effective from 10 am Washington, D.C. time. In response, Iran has issued threats targeting all ports within the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, particularly against US-allied nations.
The US military’s Central Command has announced that the blockade will be enforced “against vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas.” Meanwhile, US-Iran negotiations in Pakistan are ongoing, but both nations seem to have differing interpretations of the ceasefire conditions regarding the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is underway – but is it open or closed? | News World
Donald Trump said the American military has begun a blockade of Iranian ports to force Iran to open up the Strait of Hormuz and accept a deal.
Iran responded with threats on all ports in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, aiming at US-allied countries.
Yesterday evening, the President said the blockade began yesterday at 10 am Washington, D.C. time.
But Iran and the US appear to be at odds as to whether the Strait of Hormuz is actually open again under the ceasefire agreement.
Minutes before the scheduled start of the blockade, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency issued a notice to mariners that said the restrictions included ‘the entirety of the Iranian coastline, including ports and energy infrastructure’.
It added that transit through the strait ‘to or from non-Iranian destinations is not reported to be impeded by these measures’, but added that ships ‘may encounter military presence’ in the strait.
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Iran’s effective closure of the strait, through which 20% of traded oil passes in peacetime, has sent oil prices skyrocketing, pushing up the cost of petrol, food and other basic goods far beyond the Middle East.
Some analysts are doubtful that the US can restore normal shipping through force alone, and it is not clear how a blockade would work or what the dangers might be to US forces.
The US military’s Central Command announced that the blockade would be enforced ‘against vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas’.
Is the Strait of Hormuz open?
Two vessels passed safely before the Strait was apparently shut again (Picture: Getty)
It depends on who you ask.
Dr Bamo Nouri, senior lecturer in International Relations at the University of West London, told WTX that what’s happening with the Strait is contradictory, but both things are true at once.
‘It is technically ‘open’ but not freely operating. The US presents it as open to reassure markets, while Iran is effectively controlling access – allowing passage, but under conditions, monitoring, and implicit threats against non-compliant vessels,’ he explained.
‘That means shipping can move, but with heightened risk, reduced traffic, and rising costs. In practice, Iran doesn’t need to fully close the strait to exert leverage.
‘By making it uncertain, conditional, and potentially expensive, it can still disrupt global energy flows and signal its strategic power, which is why markets remain tense despite the ceasefire.’
How does Iran control the Strait of Hormuz?
A few factors go into how Iran controls the vital waterway, where tankers must sail through Hormuz, a 60-mile-wide part of the Persian Gulf, which has been at the heart of regional tensions for decades.
At its narrowest point, the Strait is just 24 miles across, making it easy for Iran to target vessels passing by without firing from a ship. Instead, they can fire anti-ship missiles from their coastline.
Along with the geography allowing Iran to exert control on the waterway, they also use unique methods of weaponry.
They’ve also laced the water with mines and use cheap drones to attack vessels that pass without permission.
The UN allows countries to exercise control of their territorial seas up to 13.8 miles from their coastlines.
Some portions of the Strait lie entirely in Iran and Oman’s territorial waters, meaning they are allowed to ‘defend’ their countries if needed.
What happened to the ceasefire agreement?
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Pete Hegseth told reporters yesterday that the Strait was reopened (Picture: AFP)
As of now, US-Iran negotiations in Pakistan are still ongoing, so the ceasefire is still technically on, but Iran and the US appear to have differing definitions of what this means.
When Iran, Israel and the United States agreed on a two-week ceasefire, one of the conditions all of them agreed on was the opening of the Strait of Hormuz for maritime traffic.
The blockade has now called all of this into question.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) released the coordinates of where it indicates it has planted underwater explosives in the Strait of Hormuz.
Tehran claims the map provides a safe corridor for oil tankers using the passage, where normally around 20% of the world’s oil passes every day.
Trump declared the passage was officially open last week, but it was closed again after just two tankers made it through.
Though the ceasefire requires the free reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, reports have suggested Iran wanted to put a toll of up to $1 million on each ship.
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Interesting read, though I think there are some points that could have been explored further. Would love to see a follow-up on this topic.
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