US to Resume Maritime Blockade of Shipping to and From Iranian Ports on July 14

The U.S. military said it will resume blockade operations on maritime traffic traveling to and from Iran.

U.S. Central Command said in a statement on X on July 13 that, under the commander in chief's direction, it will restart the blockade on maritime traffic entering and leaving Iranian ports at 4 p.m. Eastern time on July 14, or 5 a.m. in South Korea on July 15.

The U.S. military will enforce the blockade on vessels traveling to and from Iranian ports and coastal areas, CENTCOM said. Ships that do not violate the blockade will continue to receive support for normal passage in regional waters.

The move revives a maritime blockade that was in effect from April 13 to June 18. During that period, the U.S. military diverted more than 140 vessels that complied with the rules and blocked nine ships that violated the blockade. It also allowed about 50 commercial vessels carrying humanitarian aid to pass.

CENTCOM advised vessels sailing near the Gulf of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz to keep monitoring navigational warnings and to contact the U.S. Navy on VHF Channel 16, the international emergency communications channel, if needed. It added that additional navigational guidance for commercial vessels will be issued separately.