Summary of this article
The US military has declared that any ship passing through the blockaded area near the Strait of Hormuz without authorization is subject to capture, interception, and diversion.
The blockade will be enforced in the Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea, east of the Strait of Hormuz, and applies to all vessels regardless of flag.
The blockade does not affect neutral transit to or from non-Iranian destinations, and humanitarian shipments (food, medical supplies, and essential goods) will be allowed subject to inspection.
The US military has issued a maritime advisory warning that any vessel passing through the blockaded area near the strategic Strait of Hormuz without prior authorization is subject to capture, interception, and diversion, according to a note to seafarers seen by Reuters.
The blockade will be enforced in the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, east of the Strait of Hormuz, the notification states. The advisory, released Monday, applies to all vessel traffic regardless of flag, and includes the right to board and search neutral vessels for contraband cargo.
Despite the sweeping measures, the US military clarified that the blockade will not affect neutral transit passage through the waterway to or from non-Iranian destinations. Humanitarian shipments, including food, medical supplies, and other essential goods, will be permitted subject to inspection, the note added.
Two US warships have reportedly passed through the Strait of Hormuz, marking the first such transit since the war with Iran began, as President Donald Trump said on Saturday that the United States had started “clearing out” the strategic waterway.
The US Navy guided-missile destroyers passed through the strait without incident, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing three US officials.
The operation was not coordinated with authorities in Tehran, according to US media outlet Axios.
“We’re now starting the process of clearing out the Strait of Hormuz,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, describing it as “a favour” to countries such as China, Japan and France that “don’t have the courage or will to do this work themselves.”
