President Donald Trump said yesterday the United States was reinstating its blockade of Iranian shipping in the Gulf and would ensure the Strait of Hormuz stays open after the two sides exchanged more missile and drone attacks.
The latest hostilities followed an announcement by Iran over the weekend that it was closing the strait, and cast further doubt on the viability of an interim deal to halt the war in the Middle East and drove oil prices higher.
“The Hormuz Strait is open, and will remain open, with or without Iran. We are reinstating the Iranian blockade,” Trump said on Truth Social.
“The US will be, from this point forward, known as ‘the guardian of the Hormuz Strait’, but as such, and as a matter of fairness, will be reimbursed, at the rate of 20 per cent on all cargo shipped.”
The US military will begin enforcing the maritime blockade on Iran today, the US Navy-led Joint Maritime Information Centre said.
The blockade, covering all of Iran’s ports, oil terminals and coastal areas, will be enforced for all vessel traffic – regardless of flag – from 2000 GMT on July 14, the centre said.
“Any vessel suspected of entering or departing the blockaded area without authorisation is subject to interception, diversion and capture. Non-compliant vessels may be legally compelled with force,” the statement said.
The centre said neutral transit through the Strait of Hormuz heading to or from non-Iranian destinations will not be impeded.
The Revolutionary Guards said they had targeted sites in Bahrain and Kuwait, destroyed radar systems in Oman and hit fuel tanks and ammunition depots at Prince Hassan Air Base in Jordan in response to US strikes.
The US military said it had struck Iranian air defence systems, coastal radar sites, missile and drone capabilities and small boats on Sunday, using aircraft, naval vessels and drones.
The US yesterday attacked military sites in southern parts of Iran, including Qeshm, Bandar Abbas and Abadan.
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