The US military blockade of the Strait of Hormuz went into effect at 10 p.m. Beijing time on April 13. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), based in Tampa, Florida, announced the start of the maritime blockade on Iranian ports. President Trump had previously vowed to end Tehran's "extortion" of other nations transiting the critical oil chokepoint, and the order has now been enforced.
According to the Wall Street Journal, a senior U.S. official said more than 15 U.S. Navy vessels have been deployed to support the mission. U.S. naval and CENTCOM officials stated that forces in the Middle East include an aircraft carrier, multiple destroyers, an amphibious assault ship, and several other vessels capable of helicopter-borne boarding operations. Some ships can also guide merchant vessels to designated areas. Retired Vice Admiral Kevin Donegan noted that ships may be positioned on the periphery of the Strait to reduce exposure to Iranian fire. He said: "There are multiple ways to execute a blockade, and there is a good amount of boarding capability in the region. People should not expect all measures to be in place at the same time—this will be a gradual process."
The U.S. emphasized that the blockade will be applied "impartially." A key exception: vessels traveling to and from non-Iranian ports in the Persian Gulf will not be stopped. In other words, ships from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain can continue normal passage; the target is commercial shipping headed to Iranian ports.
Kpler: Strait transit numbers continue to drop
Trade data platform Kpler reports that only 14 ships transited the Strait on the Sunday before the blockade. Daily transit volumes have been steadily declining since the two-week U.S.-Iran ceasefire was agreed. Earlier the same day, unconfirmed reports surfaced that Iranian officials are studying the option of abandoning uranium enrichment in exchange for ending the war—the strongest concession signal yet, appearing alongside the confrontation information. WTI crude oil was trading around $101.
Iran signals: giving up enrichment for peace?
According to the New York Post, Iranian officials are internally studying the possibility of dropping uranium enrichment as a condition for ending the conflict. Pakistan's Defense Minister Asif said the prospects for U.S.-Iran talks remain alive and that a new round of negotiations "will start soon." China also voiced its stance, urging restraint from all sides.