CENTCOM announces resumption of naval blockade on Iran starting Tuesday evening

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Monday that it would resume a blockade on Iranian ports on Tuesday evening, in accordance with directives from U.S. President Donald Trump. In a statement posted on the social media platform X, CENTCOM said, “In accordance with the directives of the Commander-in-Chief (U.S. President Donald Trump), U.S. Central Command forces will resume imposing a blockade on maritime navigation entering and exiting Iranian ports.” It clarified that the blockade would be reinstated on July 14 (Tuesday) at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. CENTCOM noted that its forces “will enforce the blockade on ships heading to Iranian ports and coastal areas or departing from them.” It added that “U.S. military forces will support the free flow of navigation through the territorial waters of all ships that do not violate the blockade.” The command noted that the resumption of the blockade follows an initial implementation phase that ran from April 13 to June 18, during which CENTCOM forces directed the course of more than 140 compliant vessels, disrupted nine non-compliant ships, and allowed more than 50 commercial vessels carrying humanitarian aid to pass through the blockade zone. All mariners were advised to monitor “Mariners’ Broadcasts” and contact U.S. Navy forces via Channel 16, designated for direct ship-to-ship communication when navigating the Gulf of Oman and areas leading to the Strait of Hormuz. Additional information for commercial mariners will be provided through official notices. Earlier on Monday, President Donald Trump announced on his Truth Social platform that he had decided to reimpose a “blockade” on Iranian ports while the United States protects shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian attacks on vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz resumed last week, and CENTCOM has conducted several rounds of strikes against targets in Iran. The U.S. president also officially announced the end of a ceasefire agreed upon in a U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding last month, which was intended to last for 60 days while the two countries worked toward a broader agreement.