How the US Navy is blockading the Strait of Hormuz to choke off Iran’s ports

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.American military forces began blockading all traffic attempting to enter and leave Iranian ports on Monday, setting up a risky new showdown after peace talks in Pakistan collapsed this past weekend.With enough warships, a blockade could intimidate many tankers attempting to move oil to and from Iran. But U.S. forces would also need to be ready to board and seize hostile ships that try to break the blockade.

Former and current officials said it can be done, but it is a complex operation that requires significant U.S. military resources.Here’s what to know:Washington kicked off the operation Monday morning by positioning more than 15 U.S. warships, according to a senior U.S.

official.Placing resources and warships near Iran’s coast could make U.S. assets susceptible to attack, officials said, so the U.S. will likely try to intercept or quarantine commercial vessels on either side of the Strait of Hormuz to prevent them from entering or leaving Iranian ports.Any warship can approach a tanker suspected of violating the blockade, but if a ship doesn’t comply with a request to board, specially trained Marines and special-operations forces, such as Navy SEALs, would be needed to conduct a contested boarding.The U.S.

Navy has significant firepower in the region that could support the blockade, including an aircraft carrier, multiple guided-missile destroyers, an amphibious assault ship and several other warships, according to Navy and Central Command officials. Most of these ships have the ability to launch helicopters that support boarding operations, and some are capable of marshaling commercial vessels to specific areas to hold them in place.The U.S. could also fly boarding teams to ships