Following the breakdown of peace negotiations between the United States and Iran in Islamabad the previous day, President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. Navy would commence a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. In a series of posts on social media on Sunday morning, Trump said that the United States would also intercept every vessel in international waters that had paid Iran to pass through the critical shipping route.
Safe passage on the high seas will not be granted to anyone who pays an illegal toll", it was written by Trump on Truth Social. 'We will also begin destroying the mines the Iranians laid in the straits. Any Iranian who fires at us or at peaceful vessels will be blown to hell!"
Trump described the blockade as 'effective immediately', which would represent a significant escalation in the Persian Gulf, coming mere hours after U.S.-Iran peace talks ended without a deal. The United States and Iran have been observing a fragile two-week ceasefire since 7 April.
Related : A new secure maritime corridor for commercial shipping across Hormuz
This new order represents a shift from Trump's previous statements. He had previously said that the United States would have the strait "open fairly soon" and suggested that other countries would support this, without using the term "blockade".
The Strait of Hormuz is a vital route for the transportation of oil and liquefied natural gas, with around one-fifth of the world's traded oil and gas passing through it. This makes it susceptible to sudden and significant disruptions, which can have a knock-on effect on global trade and markets.
The U.S. Central Command is a unified combatant command of the U.S. Department of Defense. It is responsible for military operations across the Middle East, Central Asia, and surrounding maritime corridors. This includes overseeing naval deployments in critical energy transit routes.
# U.S. Central Command # Strait of Hormuz #blockade"#Donald Trump #U.S. Navy #U.S.-Iran peace talks # Persian Gulf #Iran ports # United States
17 December 2025
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