The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that the plan to block the ports of the Iranian regime has been fully implemented. In a statement, the command said that within just 36 hours of the start of the operation, U.S. forces had succeeded in halting all maritime commercial exchanges to and from Iran.
CENTCOM emphasized maintaining U.S. naval superiority in the Middle East region and added that the operation was carried out with the aim of full control over maritime traffic related to Iran and is still ongoing.
Iran’s Regime Prioritizes Its Repressive Apparatus over People’s Lives During Ceasefire
Meanwhile, military analysts assess this move as one of the lower-risk options compared with more aggressive scenarios. According to Mark Montgomery, a retired U.S. admiral, enforcing a naval blockade carries fewer risks for American forces than actions such as military escort of ships through the Strait of Hormuz or seizing strategic points.
In alternative scenarios, U.S. forces could have been exposed to threats such as missile attacks, drone strikes, fast boats, and even naval mines; whereas under the current situation, American warships are stationed at a safe distance in the Gulf of Oman, monitoring ship traffic and stopping vessels when necessary.
CENTCOM commander General Brad Cooper also pointed to the Iranian regime economy’s high dependence on maritime trade, stating that about 90% of the country’s economic exchanges are conducted by sea, and disruption of this route would create significant pressure.
CENTCOM also reported that U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyers are participating in the operation and that the blockade applies to all ships regardless of their country of origin or destination. These destroyers, each carrying more than 300 crew members, are trained for complex offensive and defensive operations.
In another development, U.S. Vice President JD Vance, after recent talks in Islamabad with the Iranian delegation led by Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, speaker of Iran regime parliament, stated that in his view Ghalibaf effectively holds control over Iran’s affairs. He also emphasized that despite some progress in the talks, the level of distrust between the two countries remains high, and resolving the disputes in the short term appears unlikely.
