Maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz came to halt once again after U.S. President Donald Trump announced on social media that the United States would impose a naval blockade on the strategic waterway, according to British maritime intelligence sources.
Trump's decision came a few hours after U.S.-Iran talks in Islamabad, Pakistan, concluded without a deal on Sunday.
Maritime intelligence firm Lloyd's List reported on Sunday that all traffic appeared to have stopped following the announcement, with at least two vessels that had been heading out of the strait turning back. Traffic had seen a slight increase on Saturday and continued at reduced levels on Sunday, but movement ceased after Trump's statement.
London-based maritime analytics firm Windward said that Washington's moves introduce a second layer of control over the strait, meaning vessel movements may be affected not only by Iranian restrictions but also by potential U.S. actions.
The Strait of Hormuz is operating as a "controlled and unstable" system, where the risk of direct confrontation between state actors is increasing, the firm said.
Windward further noted that as disruptions persist in the Strait of Hormuz, global crude flows are increasingly being redirected toward the U.S. Gulf Coast. A total of 172 crude oil tankers are currently en route to the region.
U.S. Central Command said in a statement it will begin implementing a blockade of "all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports" on Monday at 10:00 Eastern Time.
