The United States has imposed a maritime blockade on Iran, with over 15 US military vessels already in place

The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday (April 13th) that a senior US official said that since the US military began blocking maritime traffic entering and leaving Iranian ports on that day, more than 15 US warships have arrived to support this operation.

The British Maritime Operations Office, which is affiliated with the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom, released a report stating that there are restrictions on maritime passage in Iranian ports as well as in the coastal areas of the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman, and parts of the Arabian Sea.

US President Trump confirmed on the 13th that the US had imposed a blockade on all ships entering or leaving Iranian ports since 10 a.m. Eastern Time on the 13th (10 p.m. Singapore Time). He said that 34 ships passed through the Strait of Hormuz on the 12th and claimed that "other countries will assist" the US in blocking Iranian ports. The Iranian side responded by stating that Trump's statement about the navigation situation of the Strait of Hormuz did not match the actual situation. The spokesperson of the Iranian Ministry of Defense said that any attempt by the US to militarily intervene in the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman would fail.