The United States has reimposed a comprehensive naval blockade on all Iranian ports, effectively dismantling the fragile diplomatic truce established last month to pause the conflict.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed the maritime blockade took effect at 2000 GMT on Tuesday on orders from President Donald Trump, targeting all merchant and energy traffic entering or exiting the country's coastal waters.
The strategic intervention revives a severe economic clampdown that was previously enforced from mid-April until mid-June, which was only lifted after Washington and Tehran signed a temporary 14-point memorandum of understanding.
Collapse of June agreement
The resumption of the naval blockade follows the near-total collapse of the interim ceasefire, which world leaders hoped would provide a pathway toward a permanent settlement.
During the initial two-month blockade earlier this year, CENTCOM forces redirected more than 140 compliant vessels and disabled nine non-compliant ships.
Senior Iranian officials stated on Tuesday that the renewed deployment of American warships to block national ports effectively wrecks the active diplomatic framework, which had been mediated by Oman, Qatar and Pakistan to prevent an all-out regional war.
While President Trump initially said the US would charge a 20 percent reimbursement fee on all non-Iranian cargo transiting the Strait of Hormuz, he subsequently scrapped the planned levy.
Trump announced on Truth Social that the transit fee would instead be replaced by major trade and investment deals that various Gulf states have committed to make inside the United States.
Strikes accompany clampdown
The enforcement of the naval blockade was accompanied by a fourth consecutive day of heavy American air strikes across the country.
CENTCOM officials stated that the continuing aerial bombardments are specifically designed to degrade Tehran's ability to attack civilian vessels and challenge international freedom of navigation within the Gulf.
Local authorities reported that the latest wave of US precision strikes targeted critical maritime defence infrastructure, hitting defensive positions on the strategic island of Qeshm as well as four distinct locations in the Bushehr region.
