"Sufficient forces" ready for Iran blockade, rules of engagement pending: US official

Washington, DC [US], April 13 : The United States possesses the necessary military assets to establish and uphold a naval blockade against Iran, though specific protocols for addressing potential breaches remain pending, a US official has told Al Jazeera.

Speaking on the operational readiness of the American military, the official confirmed that the US has "sufficient forces and equipment" to effectively implement the maritime restrictions. This deployment is intended to be "maintained for however long it takes," in accordance with the recent directives issued by President Donald Trump.

Despite the firm stance on enforcement, the official noted that the administration has "not yet set out rules of engagement" for responding to any violations of the blockade. These operational preparations follow the high-stakes declaration from the White House, where US President Donald Trump announced a naval blockade on all vessels entering or exiting the Strait of Hormuz.

The move was triggered by the total collapse of negotiations between American and Iranian delegations. Issuing the directive after the talks ended without a resolution, the President stated, "Effective immediately, the United States Navy, the finest in the world, will begin the process of BLOCKADING any and all ships trying to enter or leave the Strait of Hormuz."

Expanding on the scope of the maritime operation, Trump noted that the US Navy intends to locate and board any ship in international waters found to have provided transit payments to Tehran. "No one who pays an illegal toll will have safe passage on the high seas," he declared.

The President further warned that the blockade is operational at the current time. He issued a stern caution to Iranian forces, asserting that any personnel who targeted American or civilian ships would be "BLOWN TO HELL," adding that the US military is "LOCKED AND LOADED" to eliminate the remainder of Iran's military assets.

Providing technical details on the enforcement of the measure, a statement from CENTCOM clarified that the restrictions are directed specifically at vessels moving to or from Iranian ports. The military command confirmed the blockade was scheduled to commence at 10 am ET today, Monday, April 13.

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