United States President Donald Trump has declared that Iranian military ships will face "elimination" if they venture near a newly established naval blockade zone.
In a social media statement, Trump asserted, "Iran’s Navy is laying at the bottom of the sea, completely obliterated – 158 ships. What we have not hit are their small number of, what they call, ‘fast attack ships,’ because we did not consider them much of a threat."
He further elaborated on the directive, stating, "Warning: If any of these ships come anywhere close to our BLOCKADE, they will be immediately ELIMINATED."
The blockade, which President Trump unveiled on Sunday following unsuccessful negotiations in Pakistan, commenced operations on Monday at 10 AM Washington D.C. time, corresponding to 2 PM GMT.
This US action raises concerns about a potential significant escalation that could jeopardize the two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran, which had been implemented the previous Wednesday.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) centre has confirmed that it received notification that the US blockade will be applied universally to vessels interacting with Iranian ports and oil terminals.
"The restrictions encompass the entirety of the Iranian coastline, including the ports and energy infrastructure," the UKMTO, an entity linked to the British navy, communicated in an advisory notice.
Despite a ceasefire provision that reportedly required Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz, maritime traffic in the strategic passage has not seen an increase.
Iranian officials have alleged that the US is breaching the truce by permitting continued Israeli bombing and ground operations in Lebanon. Pakistan, which played a role in mediating the ceasefire, had indicated that all regional fronts, including Lebanon, were integral to the agreement.
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