US military threatens to blockade all Iranian ports starting on Monday

Key Points

• The US Central Command will enforce a full maritime blockade of all Iranian ports starting Monday at 10am EDT.
• The blockade applies impartially to vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports, but allows transit through the Strait of Hormuz between non-Iranian ports.
• The action follows the collapse of US-Iran ceasefire talks in Pakistan and President Trump's earlier vow to block the Strait of Hormuz.
• Early reports indicate ship traffic in the Strait of Hormuz has already halted, with commercial crossings dropping from 100-135 per day to just over 40 since the ceasefire.
• Iranian leaders have vowed to counter the blockade, setting the stage for a potential showdown.

Full Details

The US military announced it will begin a full maritime blockade of all Iranian ports on Monday at 10am EDT, as reported by AP News. The blockade will be enforced impartially against vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports, including those on the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman.This action follows the collapse of marathon US-Iran ceasefire talks in Pakistan and tempers President Donald Trump's earlier vow to entirely block the strategic Strait of Hormuz. US Central Command clarified that ships traveling between non-Iranian ports can still transit the strait, but any vessel engaging with Iranian ports will be stopped.Early reports from Lloyd’s List intelligence indicate that ship traffic in the Strait of Hormuz has already halted, with over 40 commercial ships crossing since the ceasefire began—down from roughly 100-135 vessel passages per day before the war.Iranian leaders have vowed to counter the blockade, setting the stage for a potential confrontation. A formal Notice to Mariners will be issued before the blockade takes effect, and vessels are instructed to contact U.S. forces on bridge-to-bridge channel 16 when operating in the Gulf of Oman and approaches to the strait.