CENTCOM Begins Blockade of Iranian Ports in Strait of Hormuz as US-Iran Tensions Escalate

Washington/Dubai, April 13, 2026 - U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has officially begun enforcing a naval blockade on all vessels entering or exiting Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz region, starting at 10 a.m. ET today, following the collapse of high-level peace talks in Islamabad over the weekend.

CENTCOM has begun blockading the Strait of Hormuz: Fox News #asiaone #asiaonenews #CENTCOM #usa #trump #straitofhormuz pic.twitter.com/MC9rSWbWMb

- ASIA ONE NEWS (@AsiaOne_News) April 13, 2026

The move, announced by President Donald Trump and implemented by CENTCOM, targets maritime traffic to and from Iranian ports and coastal areas in the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman. CENTCOM stated that the blockade will be enforced impartially against vessels of all nations, but emphasized that it will not impede freedom of navigation for ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports.

The decision comes after marathon US-Iran negotiations in Pakistan, led by Vice President JD Vance, ended without a comprehensive agreement or extension of the fragile two-week ceasefire. President Trump described the blockade as necessary pressure on Tehran to secure safe passage through the critical waterway, through which nearly 20% of global oil supplies flow.

Shipping companies and energy markets reacted swiftly. Several tankers have already altered routes, while insurance premiums for vessels in the region have spiked dramatically. Brent crude prices climbed further amid fears of broader disruptions, though the targeted nature of the blockade - focusing only on Iranian ports - has so far prevented a complete shutdown of the strait.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has warned that any approaching U.S. military vessels or enforcement actions would be viewed as a violation of the ceasefire and could trigger a "severe response." Regional analysts warn that the blockade risks escalating the situation at a delicate moment, with only about one week remaining in the current truce.

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, whose country hosted the talks, has called for restraint from all sides and offered to continue mediation efforts. Meanwhile, global shipping associations have urged the U.S. and Iran to provide clear safe-passage guidelines to avoid chaos in one of the world's most vital energy chokepoints.

The blockade marks a significant escalation in the ongoing standoff, even as both sides claim the overall ceasefire is still holding. The coming days will be critical in determining whether this pressure tactic leads back to the negotiating table or pushes the region closer to renewed conflict