Shafaq News- Washington

The United States is expanding enforcement of a blockade on maritime traffic linked to Iran in the Strait of Hormuz, with additional military assets being deployed to sustain the operation.

Former US Assistant Secretary of Defense Mark Kimmitt told Shafaq News that United States Central Command (CENTCOM) is “bringing in additional military capability, and will make this a sustainable blockade into the future,” adding that “There is no inevitability that the deployment will result in large-scale naval confrontations, but the deployment will certainly give far more advantage to the U.S. forces.”

CENTCOM announced on April 12 that US forces would begin restricting vessels entering or leaving Iranian ports, while allowing transit to non-Iranian destinations through the strait. President Donald Trump later stated that the strait was under US control, adding that Iran was losing about $500 million per day due to the blockade and that its naval, air, and defense capabilities had been significantly degraded.

Shipping data shows reduced traffic through the strait. According to Kpler, seven tankers passed through the strait on Tuesday, five linked to Iran. Irani’s Tasnim News Agency reported that traffic remains below pre-escalation levels.

The blockade was announced on April 13 after talks between Washington and Tehran in Islamabad failed, to limit Iran’s oil revenues and transit income. The conflict that began on February 28, 2026, led to the closure of the strait, a key route that carries about one-fifth of global oil consumption.