U.S. Forces Block Iranian Ports, Deploy Over 10,000 Troops, 12 Warships
The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) has announced the commencement of a large-scale military operation enforcing a naval blockade on vessels entering and leaving Iranian ports, in a move that is likely to heighten already fragile tensions in the Middle East.
In a statement released in Arabic on Tuesday, CENTCOM disclosed the massive scale of the operation, stating, “More than 10,000 U.S. sailors, Marines, and Air Force personnel, supported by more than twelve warships and dozens of aircraft, are carrying out a mission to enforce a blockade on ships entering or leaving Iranian ports.”
The U.S. military further revealed that the blockade had immediate impact within its first day of enforcement, claiming total compliance from affected vessels.
During the first twenty-four hours, no ship managed to breach the American blockade, while 6 commercial vessels complied with U.S. forces’ directives to turn back and re-enter one of the Iranian ports located on the Gulf of Oman,” it said.
CENTCOM insisted that the operation is being conducted without discrimination, targeting all vessels regardless of nationality.
It stated, “This blockade is being applied impartially to ships belonging to all nations entering or leaving Iranian ports and coastal areas, including all Iranian ports on the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.”
Despite the sweeping restrictions, U.S. authorities claimed they are maintaining international maritime principles, particularly around one of the world’s most strategic waterways.
The statement added, “In return, U.S. forces support freedom of navigation for ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz en route to and from non-Iranian ports.”
The development signals a dramatic escalation in U.S.-Iran tensions, with potential implications for global oil supply routes and international shipping, especially around the critical Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant portion of the world’s crude oil passes daily.
The latest blockade is unfolding against the backdrop of the ongoing war between the United States and Iran.
The conflict intensified after a joint U.S.-Israeli operation killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, triggering swift retaliation from Tehran, including missile and drone attacks on U.S. bases and allied targets across the region.
In response, Iran moved to disrupt global oil flows by targeting vessels and effectively shutting down the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow but critical maritime route through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passes.
The shutdown caused a sharp decline in shipping traffic and sent global energy markets into turmoil, with vessels attacked, damaged, or forced to abandon routes.
The United States, which has long considered freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz a core strategic interest, responded with increased military deployment and eventually the current blockade aimed at crippling Iran’s oil exports and forcing compliance in stalled negotiations.
