US warns Iran over maritime blockade, threatens action against naval vessels

The US has warned that Iranian vessels approaching a declared maritime blockade of Iranian ports will be targeted, following a CENTCOM announcement enforcing restrictions on shipping to and from Iranian ports. The move comes amid heightened tensions and failed peace talks between the US and Iran.

The United States has issued a sharp warning to Iranian naval forces, with President Donald Trump stating that any Iranian vessels approaching what he described as a US blockade of Iranian ports would be “immediately eliminated.”
In a post shared on his social media platform Truth Social on Monday, Trump claimed that Iran’s naval capabilities had been severely degraded. He said, “Iran’s Navy is lying at the bottom of the sea, completely obliterated – 158 ships,” adding that only a small number of so-called “fast attack ships” remained operational. According to him, these vessels were previously not targeted because they were not considered a significant threat.
Trump further warned that any Iranian ships nearing the blockade zone would face immediate military action. He said they would be “eliminated” using what he described as the same operational methods employed against drug trafficking boats at sea.
His comments came shortly after the United States Central Command (United States Central Command), which oversees American military operations in the Middle East and other regions, announced the enforcement of a maritime blockade affecting Iranian ports.
In a statement released on Sunday, CENTCOM said the blockade would apply to all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports located in the Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. The command emphasized that the restrictions would be enforced uniformly across vessels of all nationalities.
However, it also clarified that US forces would not interfere with the principle of freedom of navigation for ships transiting through the Strait of Hormuz en route to or from non-Iranian ports.
The announcement followed rare direct discussions between the United States and Iran held in Pakistan over the weekend. The talks were reportedly aimed at ending the ongoing conflict that began on February 28, but they ended without any agreement or breakthrough between the two sides.