The United States Central Command - CENTCOM - announced that its forces will begin a blockade of all maritime traffic entering and leaving Iranian ports, starting today (Monday) at 5:00 PM Israeli time, in accordance with the announcement of United States President Donald Trump.
""The quarantine will be enforced equally against vessels of all countries entering or leaving Iranian ports and its coastal areas, including all Iranian ports in the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman," the statement said.
The announcement also stated that Central Command forces will not interfere with the freedom of navigation of vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports.
The announcement was made a few hours after President Trump announced a dramatic escalation in the conflict with Iran - and announced the imposition of a full naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump's move came after the failure of a round of talks between US and Iranian delegations in Pakistan. "Starting at this moment, the US Navy will begin the process of blocking any ship attempting to enter or exit the Strait of Hormuz," Trump declared in a post he published on his social network Truth Social.
""Iran is engaging in global blackmail. I have ordered our navy to search for and seize any vessel in international waters that has paid tolls to Iran. We will also begin destroying the mines that the Iranians have placed in the Strait. The blockade will begin soon - other countries will be involved in this blockade. Iran will not be allowed to make money from this illegal act of blackmail.".
