Trump: We will reimpose the naval blockade on Iran and strike it with force

US President Donald Trump announced the reimposition of a blockade on Iran, affirming that the Strait of Hormuz would remain open to all other countries. In a post on his Truth Social page, he stated: “We are reimposing the ‘Iranian blockade’—a term used because it is limited to preventing Iranian ships or Iran’s agents from entering or exiting—while all other countries will enjoy the right to fair and open use of the strait.”

Simultaneously, Trump told US network Fox News that the United States is asserting control over the Strait of Hormuz and that Iran has no claim, adding that action should have been taken against Tehran 47 years ago. He remarked, “There was an agreement with Iran, but they broke it, and they always break agreements,” and threatened to “strike Iran very hard.”

Coinciding with these statements, the US Navy announced that the blockade on all Iranian ports would begin on Tuesday at 20:00 GMT, clarifying that it covers the entire Iranian coastline, including ports and oil terminals.

On the ground, US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that the day before yesterday, its forces successfully struck a submarine and ship maintenance facility in Iran using a series of one-way attack surface drones. Three Corsair unmanned surface vessels hit the port located at the Bandar Abbas naval base, marking the first time US forces employed unmanned maritime vehicles in combat operations. In a statement, CENTCOM added that the strikes carried out the previous night had weakened Iran’s ability to continue attacking commercial navigation.

Earlier that morning, CENTCOM announced it had completed a new wave of offensive strikes against Iran, targeting dozens of sites with precision munitions to undermine Iran’s capacity to continue disrupting international navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. US Central Command forces targeted Iranian military air defense systems, coastal radar sites, missile and drone capabilities, and small boats, using fighter jets and naval vessels, along with one-way attack aircraft and one-way attack unmanned boats for the first time.

The Strait of Hormuz is a vital maritime passage for global trade and is not under Iranian control. US forces are on high alert to ensure freedom of navigation remains available to commercial ships, despite Iran’s continued practices of unjustified aggression, harassment, threats, and arbitrary declarations.

Conversely, Iranian media reported explosions in several areas near Bandar Abbas and Qeshm Island, close to the Strait of Hormuz. Vahidollah Khayati, the security affairs deputy governor of Khuzestan province, told journalists that “several sites in the cities of Ahvaz, Omidiyeh, Mahshahr, Behbahan, Dezful, Andimeshk, Abadan, and the Shadegan area were targeted by US shells” in the southwest of the country.

Meanwhile, Britain, France, and Germany condemned the Iranian attacks in the Strait of Hormuz and in the region. In a joint statement, the three countries emphasized that respect for sovereignty over territorial waters and freedom of navigation are fundamental principles of international law. They reiterated their ongoing support for the rapid and full resumption of international navigation through the strait, expressed full solidarity with their partners in the Gulf and the region, and called for the resumption of the ceasefire and negotiations.

Trump to Address the Nation on Thursday

Later, in an announcement that coincided with the military escalation with Iran, the US president said he would deliver a televised address to the nation on Thursday. A post by Trump on his Truth Social platform stated, “President Trump will address the nation on Thursday evening at 9 p.m. Eastern Time, which is 1 a.m. Friday Greenwich Mean Time.”