The United States has deployed more than 10,000 military personnel, alongside warships and aircraft, to enforce a sweeping naval blockade on Iranian ports, according to United States Central Command.
In a statement released Tuesday, the command said the operation involves more than a dozen warships and dozens of aircraft operating across key maritime routes in the region.
“During the first 24 hours, no ships made it past the U.S. blockade,” the command said, adding that six merchant vessels complied with orders to turn back and return to Iranian ports in the Gulf of Oman.
The blockade, announced by Donald Trump, is being enforced across all Iranian ports along the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, marking a major escalation in tensions between Washington and Tehran.
U.S. Central Command said the measures apply to vessels of all nationalities attempting to enter or exit Iranian ports, describing the enforcement as “impartial.”
At the same time, U.S. forces said they are continuing to support freedom of navigation for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global oil shipments, provided they are travelling to or from non-Iranian ports.
The move significantly increases the U.S. military footprint in the Gulf and raises concerns over the potential for further confrontation in one of the world’s most strategically sensitive waterways.
