'Iran's sea trade completely halted': US CENTCOM on Hormuz blockade

The US military has fully halted maritime trade to and from Iran after enforcing a blockade of Iranian ports, the Central Command (Centcom) said on Wednesday.

Adm. Brad Cooper, Centcom commander, said that US forces had achieved "maritime superiority" in the Middle East and completed the blockade. "A blockade of Iranian ports has been fully implemented as U.S. forces maintain maritime superiority in the Middle East," he said in a statement posted on X.

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Cooper added that Iran's economy is heavily dependent on sea trade. "An estimated 90% of Iran’s economy is fueled by international trade by sea," Cooper said. "In less than 36 hours since the blockade was implemented, U.S. forces have completely halted economic trade going into and out of Iran by sea".

Centcom said in an earlier update on Tuesday that more than 10,000 US sailors, Marines, and Airmen, along with over a dozen warships and dozens of aircraft, were involved in the operation. It said US forces were enforcing the blockade on all vessels entering and leaving Iranian ports.

During the first 24 hours, no ships passed through the blockade, and six merchant vessels were ordered to turn back and re-enter Iranian ports in the Gulf of Oman. 

The command said the restrictions applied to vessels of all nationalities and covered Iranian ports on both the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. It added that US forces continued to support "freedom of navigation" for ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz bound for non-Iranian ports.

However, US President Donald Trump said the war with Iran was nearing its end. Speaking in an interview with Fox News, recorded on Tuesday, he said: "I think it’s close to over, yeah. I view it as very close to being over."

He linked the situation to Washington's security concerns, adding: "I think it's - I had to divert because if I didn't do that, right now you'd have Iran with a nuclear weapon. And if they had a nuclear weapon, you'd be calling everyone over there 'sir,' and you don't want to do that."

The US and Iran have recently held talks aimed at reducing tensions, including discussions over the weekend in Islamabad. Reports also suggested the possibility of further negotiations in the coming days.