US military prepares to board Iran-linked vessels | NewsNation
The U.S. military is readying to board ships linked to Iran and seize commercial vessels in international waters in the coming days as President Trump looks to expand a naval blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, a source familiar with the matter, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss internal military planning, told The Hill on Saturday.
The planning comes as the military is already enforcing the naval blockade in the Gulf of Oman, turning back 23 vessels that attempted to leave Iranian ports on Monday. Iran has reportedly attacked several vessels in the channel, a day after its foreign minister claimed the waterway was “completely” open for commercial ships following the temporary truce reached between Lebanon and Israel. The move caused oil prices to drop dramatically on Friday.
The Hill has reached out to the U.S. Central Command for comment.
The planning of the expanded crackdown was first reported by The Wall Street Journal.
The Iranian regime reversed course on Saturday, announcing it would resume strict management of the Strait of Hormuz after Trump said the U.S. blockade would remain in “full force” until a deal is reached to end the conflict.
“It is announced that until the US ends its obstruction of the full freedom of movement of vessels from and to Iran, the situation in the Strait of Hormuz will remain under strict control and in its previous state,” an IRGC spokesperson said in a statement posted to social platform X.Iran has reportedly attacked several vessels in the channel, a day after its foreign minister claimed the waterway was “completely” open for commercial ships following the temporary truce reached between Lebanon and Israel. The move caused oil prices to drop dramatically on Friday.
The Hill has reached out to the U.S. Central Command for comment.
The planning of the expanded crackdown was first reported by The Wall Street Journal.
The Iranian regime reversed course on Saturday, announcing it would resume strict management of the Strait of Hormuz after Trump said the U.S. blockade would remain in “full force” until a deal is reached to end the conflict.
“It is announced that until the US ends its obstruction of the full freedom of movement of vessels from and to Iran, the situation in the Strait of Hormuz will remain under strict control and in its previous state,” an IRGC spokesperson said in a statement posted to social platform X.
The president during an executive order signing ceremony told reporters, “They wanted to close up the strait again, as they’ve been doing for years.”
“They can’t blackmail us,” he added.
Trump also signaled that the talks with Iran and Pakistan seem to be going “very well,” though last weekend’s negotiations in Pakistan ended without an agreement. He told reporters during an Air Force One gaggle on Friday that the U.S. could “drop bombs again” on Tehran if a long-term deal is not reached.
The two-week ceasefire in the region is set to end on Wednesday.
The president, according to Axios, also convened a White House Situation Room meeting early Saturday to discuss Iran.
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