Washington, July 13 (SANA) U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced Monday that it will resume enforcing a maritime blockade on commercial shipping to and from Iranian ports, effective at 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, July 14.
“CENTCOM forces will enforce the blockade against vessels transiting to or from Iranian ports and coastal areas,” the command said in a statement posted on X, adding that the U.S. military “continues to support traffic flow through regional waters for all vessels not violating the blockade”.
The move formalizes the Trump administration’s return to its pre-ceasefire strategy following several days of escalating military operations against Iran after renewed attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
The blockade being reinstated on Tuesday mirrors the operation first imposed on April 13, which remained in effect until June 18, when it was lifted following the signing of the US-Iran memorandum of understanding.
According to CENTCOM, during the initial blockade, U.S. forces redirected more than 140 commercial vessels that complied with blockade orders, disabled nine vessels that attempted to violate the restrictions, and allowed more than 50 humanitarian shipments to transit.
The memorandum, signed on June 18, provided for the cessation of hostilities, the lifting of the U.S. naval blockade on Iran, and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. During the 26 days the agreement remained in effect, more than 80 million barrels of Iranian crude oil and refined products, worth an estimated $6 billion, were exported from the region, according to TankerTrackers.
The agreement unraveled after Iran resumed attacks on merchant shipping earlier this month. The memorandum unraveled after Iran resumed attacks on merchant shipping earlier this month. The latest incident involved the Cyprus-flagged container ship GFS Galaxy, which left one crew member missing and the vessel disabled by an attack while transiting east of Oman.
Kh.A / H.H
