Days after US President threatened Iran with a blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, the US Central Command on Tuesday (local time) revealed how the blockade is being carried out.
In a post on X, it said, “More than 10,000 U.S. Sailors, Marines, and Airmen, along with over a dozen warships and dozens of aircraft, are executing the mission to blockade ships entering and departing Iranian ports. During the first 24 hours, no ships made it past the U.S. blockade, and 6 merchant vessels complied with direction from U.S. forces to turn around to re-enter an Iranian port on the Gulf of Oman.”
How is the US enforcing the blockade?
The US Central Command noted that no Iranian ships will be allowed in or out of Iranian ports, and that this is being imposed impartially against vessels of all nations. The mission is being executed by over 10,000 personnel and 100-plus fighter and surveillance aircraft, along with 12-plus warships.
Types of assets being used to ensure the blockade
The US Central Command also shared a list of assets being used by the US military to enforce the blockade. These include:
- Aircraft Carrier
2. Amphibious Assault Ship
3. Amphibious Transport Dock Ship
4. Dock Landing Ship
5. Guided-Missile Destroyers
6. Littoral Combat Ship
7. Land- and Sea-Based Fighter Aircraft
8. Unmanned Aircraft
9. Refuelling Aircraft
10. Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Aircraft
Why is the US blockading Iranian ports?
The decision to block Iranian ports was announced by Donald Trump last week after negotiations between the US and Iran failed over the weekend. The talks, which were held for over 21 hours in Pakistan’s capital city, Islamabad, concluded without an agreement being reached, with both sides blaming each other for the failure. Trump’s decision to block Iranian ports is aimed at putting pressure on the Islamic Republic by targeting two economic drivers—first, the huge tolls that Tehran was demanding ships pay to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, which has been effectively shut since the war began in late February; and second, its oil revenue, BBC reported.
Speaking to Fox News, the said, “We’re not going to let Iran make money on selling oil to people that they like and not people that they don’t like,” adding that the goal instead was to let “all or nothing” pass through the crucial shipping channel.
Where is the blockade?
While the exact positions of US Navy ships on deployment have not been publicly disclosed, this makes it difficult to determine where interceptions might take place. However, US forces are unlikely to operate close to Iran’s coastline because of the threat posed by missiles and drones, the report added.
Any blockade effort would likely centre on the Gulf of Oman, a crucial passage for global oil shipments, including those from Iran.
US forces are expected to rely on satellite data and commercial tracking to identify vessels departing Iranian ports, intercepting them once they move into the open waters of the Indian Ocean.
How can Iran and other countries be affected by the blockade?
The decision by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to effectively close the Strait of Hormuz, which is responsible for transporting roughly a fifth of the world’s oil, has already driven oil prices higher. Despite this, Tehran has continued exporting oil and benefiting from elevated prices. In fact, March marked one of the Islamic Republic’s strongest export months in the past 18 months.
Any blockade would significantly impact countries that rely on Iranian oil. According to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), roughly 82 per cent of crude oil and other fossil fuels passing through the Strait of Hormuz in 2022 were destined for Asian markets.
China is believed to purchase close to 90 per cent of Iran’s oil exports. On Tuesday, China’s foreign ministry described the US blockade as “dangerous” and “irresponsible.”
Citing some analysts, the BBC noted that the blockade could be intended to push Beijing to play a more active role in peace negotiations.
Additionally, a sustained blockade could further strain the global economy, raising fuel and food costs and disrupting supplies of key materials such as aluminium, helium, and fertiliser feedstocks.
- The US blockade aims to apply economic pressure on Iran by targeting its oil revenue.
- The blockade is enforced by a significant military presence, impacting global oil supply and prices.
- China’s reliance on Iranian oil complicates the geopolitical dynamics of the blockade.
