The US says it will blockade the Strait of Hormuz and Iranian ports [Getty/file photo]
The US military said it would begin a blockade of all Iranian ports on Monday, after talks in Pakistan collapsed. The Iranian military has warned that it would treat this as an act of piracy.
On Sunday, Trump announced on social media he would blockade the strategic Strait of Hormuz trade route that he has been demanding Tehran fully reopen throughout the war, after Vice President JD Vance left Islamabad with no deal reached with Iran.
Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway where one-fifth of the world’s oil passes through, as a retaliatory measure for Washington and Tel Aviv’s unprovoked war, which began on 28 February.
“The blockade will be enforced impartially against vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas, including all Iranian ports on the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman,” US Central Command said, adding it would begin at 1400 GMT on Monday.
Vessels transiting the Strait to and from non-Iranian ports would not be subject to the move.
It remains unclear, however, how the US military would enforce such a blockade.
In a lengthy social media post on Sunday, Trump claimed his goal was to clear the strait of mines and reopen it to all shipping, but that Iran must not be allowed to profit from controlling the waterway.
In response to Trump’s decision, Iran’s military command called the upcoming blockade “illegal” and “a criminal act of piracy”. It also warned that no port in the Gulf or Gulf of Oman would remain secure if Iranian ports were put at risk.
“If the security of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s ports in the waters of the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Sea is threatened, no port in the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Sea will be safe.”
Additionally, two empty Pakistani tankers headed towards the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday made a last-minute U-turn and altered their route, as the talks in Islamabad collapsed.
Israel ‘ready’ to resume Iran assault
The Israeli military is readying itself to renew strikes on Iran, three of the country’s main broadcasters reported on Sunday, days after the two-week ceasefire brokered by Pakistan came into effect.
This comes less than a day after the US delegation departed Islamabad.
According to Israeli news site Ynet, the country’s military chief of staff Eyal Zamir has already instructed soldiers to “move to a heightened state of readiness” and to “prepare” for a resumption of attacks against Iran.
The Israel-US war on the country has already killed thousands of people.
Channel 12 also reported that the Israeli army is preparing for a “potential Iranian attack”.
Israeli reports also said that Tel Aviv is “awaiting the green light” from Trump to resume its assault on Iran.
Channel 13 added that Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir has commanded the military to “prepare for an immediate resumption of fighting and ordered the initiation of combat readiness procedures”.
This comes amid reports that Trump and his advisers are also “mulling” limited strikes on Iran after the collapse of the Islamabad talks.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Trump may also consider a full-fledged bombardment campaign in Iran, but this was “less likely” given the repercussions it could have, such as further destabilisation of the US allies in the Gulf.
Speaking to Fox News on Sunday, Trump said: “I would hate to do it, but it’s their water, their desalination plants, their electric-generating plants, which are very easy to hit.”
