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The U.S.-Iran Naval Blockade: What Washington Says
The U.S. military declared its naval blockade of all Iranian ports “fully executed” on April 15, announcing a “complete cessation” of Iran’s maritime economic activity. CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper stated that within just 36 hours, all sea trade with Iran had been disrupted, citing over 10,000 U.S. sailors, Marines, and Air Force personnel involved in the operation across the Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea. Vice President Vance, who led negotiations in Islamabad before their collapse, told reporters that the blockade was “particularly detrimental for Iran rather than for the U.S.” and that Iran had simply “opted not to accept our conditions.” On April 13, President Trump threatened to “BLOW TO HELL” any Iranian forces that fired on U.S. warships, calling Iran’s insistence on Hormuz fees “extortion.” Trump also said he had instructed the Navy to intercept any vessels in international waters that had paid those fees to Iran, an expansive operational mandate with no clear legal ceiling.
