We are going to have to wait and see, as this was yet another big confusing swerve from Trump in roughly the last 24 hours. Per the Pentagon and various reports, the U.S. Navy will block any ships that have visited Iranian ports or plan to, effectively cutting off the flow of Iran’s oil in yet another attempt to force it’s regime to capitulate to U.S. demands.
The blockade does not apply to other ships which transit to and from other ports, but with the Strait of Hormuz still effectively closed, this may now be a total end to any traffic in and out of the Persian Gulf.
Trump had suggested on Sunday that other countries would help enforce the blockade, but there is as of yet no evidence that is actually going to happen.
There have been multiple clarifying statements by CENTCOM since Trump announced the blockade, suggesting a rushed, ad-hoc approach to what is a major, complicated new U.S. naval operation. For instance, it initially appeared as though the blockade would only apply to Iranian ports in the gulf, but on Monday morning, CENTCOM said it would also apply to all ports on Iran’s southern coast.
Iran has threatened a “severe response” for any military vessels that approach the strait.
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