image sourced from original article at A United States Navy destroyer intercepted two oil tankers attempting to leave Iran as part of President Donald Trump's newly implemented naval blockade on Iranian ports. According to a United States official, the vessels departed from Chabahar port on the Gulf of Oman before being contacted by the warship and ordered to turn back.
United States Central Command said six merchant vessels complied with instructions to return to Iranian ports within the first day of the blockade. More than 10,000 American service members, supported by over a dozen warships and numerous aircraft, are enforcing the operation, which targets ships entering or departing Iranian coastal areas.
Military officials stated that the blockade is being applied impartially to vessels of all nations while maintaining freedom of navigation for ships traveling through the Strait of Hormuz to non-Iranian destinations. The commander overseeing the operation said maritime trade into and out of Iran by sea had been completely halted within 36 hours of the blockade's implementation.
