APRIL 25, 2026 – Last week the U.S. military stood up a maritime blockade against ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz that had been doing business with Iran at its ports, or that were headed to Iranian ports.
That blockade is ongoing and continues to become more effective and stronger, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said during a press briefing today at the Pentagon.
“The United States has imposed an ironclad blockade that grows more powerful by the day, from the Gulf of Oman to the open oceans,” he said. “Our Navy is enforcing this blockade without hesitation or apology … every ship that the U.S. believes meets our criteria — either Iranian ships or [ships going] to and from Iranian ports — has been turned around.”
The secretary said 34 ships have been turned around without incident, choosing to respect the U.S. blockade rather than tangle with America’s Navy.
“Not only is the blockade growing, in fact, a second aircraft carrier will join the blockade in just a few days; but this growing blockade has also gone global,” Hegseth said. “Just this week, we seized two Iranian dark fleet ships in the Indo-Pacific region that had left Iranian ports before the blockade went into effect.”
Some ships that might have been stopped by the blockade made it to the open oceans before the blockade went into effect, and Hegseth said where possible, those ships too will be stopped.
“We seized their sanctioned ships, and we will seize more,” he said. “Our blockade is growing and going global. America’s military is unmatched, projecting power, denying passage to adversaries and protecting our interests at the time and place of our choosing.”
The secretary also said the president has authorized U.S. Central Command to shoot and kill vessels in the Gulf of Oman that threaten U.S. or commercial ships.
“President [Donald J.] Trump has authorized the United States Navy to destroy any Iranian fast boats that attempt to put mines in the water or disrupt passage through the Strait of Hormuz — to shoot and kill,” he said. “Our commanders have clear rules of engagement: if Iran is putting mines in the water or otherwise threatening American commercial shipping or American forces, we will shoot to destroy. No hesitation; just like the drug boats in the Caribbean.”
In just the last week, Centcom and U.S. Indo-Pacific Command have interdicted three vessels. The first was the Touska, an Iranian-flagged container ship, about 965 feet long, which was interdicted by Centcom on April 19.
“The operation began about 4 a.m. Eastern Standard Time when United States Navy destroyer approached her, and the crew and the vessel ignored our warnings,” said Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. “Over a six-hour period, the vessel and her crew repeatedly ignored U.S. warnings, and then the U.S. Navy destroyer executed a series of pre-planned, carefully calibrated escalation options, including firing five warning shots.”
Still the Touska continued to ignore, even that escalation, Caine said. After that, Centcom authorized “disabling fire” against the Touska.
“U.S. sailors warned the crew of the Touska to abandon the engine room, and at approximately 9 a.m. Eastern Time, the destroyer disabled the Tusca’s engine by firing nine inert rounds from the destroyer’s Mark 45 5-inch guns precisely into the engine room and engine space on board the Touska,” he said.
Shortly after, he said the Touska reported engine issues and went dead in the water.
“Centcom ordered United States Marines to seize the ship via helicopters,” he said. “U.S. Marines maneuvered quickly to the disabled ship, boarded her from fast ropes via helicopter infiltration methods and took custody of the ship. The ship and her crew remain safe in U.S. custody today.”
Elsewhere, such as in the Pacific Ocean, he said, the U.S. interdicted two additional ships, ships that departed the Centcom area of operations before the maritime blockade went into place.
One of those ships was the Tifani, a crude oil tanker, which was interdicted April 20-21. The Tifani was carrying approximately 2 million barrels of sanctioned Iranian oil.
“At approximately 11:30 p.m. Eastern Time, U.S. military forces and law enforcement forces also went to the ship via rotary wing platforms, fast-roped onto her deck and secured her,” Caine said. “After the ship was secured, a U.S. Navy control team embarked aboard the Tifani … and assumed control of the ship at 4 a.m. Eastern Time on April 21.”
Finally, April 22, he said, was the interdiction of the Majestic X in the Indo-Pacom area of responsibility, in the Indian Ocean.
“At approximately 11 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, U.S. forces began the interdiction, again using rotary wing assets to get to the ship, got on board and secured the bridge,” he said.
Now, Caine said, the Tifani, the Majestic X and their crews, remain in U.S. custody. He said the joint force will continue to conduct such operations in the maritime domain against Iranian ships and vessels of the dark fleet.
“The actions by our service members and our law enforcement partners demonstrate the incredible discipline, dedication and professionalism of our joint force; and highlight the global reach of American combat power,” Caine said. “The joint force remains focused on ensuring the Iranian regime cannot harm our interests or those of our allies and partners.”
Hegseth said the U.S. blockade is growing stronger and that the War Department’s will is “unshakable.”
“As the president said, we have all the time in the world,” he said. “Iran has a historic chance to make a serious deal, and the ball is in their court. Either way, the War Department stands ready for what comes next; locked and loaded. May God continue to bless our warriors each and every day, and on each and every mission.”
By C. Todd Lopez
Pentagon News