A U.S. destroyer interdicted two oil tankers attempting to depart from Iran on Tuesday, ordering them to turn back a day after President Donald Trump’s blockade came into force, a U.S. official said on condition of anonymity.
The ships had left Chabahar port on the Gulf of Oman and were contacted by the warship via radio communication, the official said. It was unclear whether any further warnings were given.
The disclosure adds further detail to the start of Trump’s blockade, which aims to pressure Iran to end its effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a choke point for about 20% of the world’s oil.
Trump is hoping the blockade will force Iran to accept America’s terms for ending a war launched by the U.S. and Israel on February 28, including opening up the Strait of Hormuz. Trump says that was also a condition of a week-old ceasefire with Iran due to expire next week.
Experts remain cautious. Noam Raydan of the The Washington Institute for Near East Policy noted that tracking data showed one tanker making a U-turn after the blockade began, but warned that many vessels involved in Iranian oil trade often switch off their tracking system.
The U.S. official said the two tankers were among the six merchant vessels the U.S. Central Command said in a statement earlier on Tuesday had followed orders to “turn around to re-enter an Iranian port on the Gulf of Oman.”
Central Command said no ships have made it past the blockade since it went into effect on Monday at 10 a.m. in Washington (1400 GMT).
More Than 10,000 Troops
The blockade involves more than 10,000 U.S. personnel, backed by over a dozen warships and dozens of aircraft, the military said, adding that vessels not linked to Iran are still allowed to transit the Strait of Hormuz freely.
Trump announced the blockade following the breakdown of weekend talks to end the war. Oil prices jumped back above $100 a barrel before easing on Tuesday on hopes of further talks.
If Trump’s strategy succeeds, he would eliminate Iran’s greatest point of leverage in negotiations with the U.S. and clear the strait again for global trade. But a blockade, experts say, is an act of war that requires an open-ended commitment of a significant number of warships.
It could also trigger fresh retaliation from Tehran and put tremendous strain on an already fragile ceasefire.
Iran’s threats to shipping have caused global oil prices to skyrocket about 50%. Roughly 5,000 people have died in the hostilities.
Thousands of U.S. military strikes have severely weakened Iran’s military. But analysts say Tehran has emerged from the conflict as a vexing problem for Washington, with a more hard-line leadership and a buried stockpile of highly enriched uranium.
(With inputs from Reuters)
