White House: Strait of Hormuz Open, US Navy Deployed for Shipping

Washington D.C. The White House has stated that the Strait of Hormuz is open for commercial ships and that the US military is deployed to ensure the continuous flow of goods through the strategic waterway via maritime transport.

Responding to questions at a press conference organized to discuss the decline in commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz as US military actions increase, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that the US has imposed a blockade that applies only to passenger ships entering or leaving Iranian ports.

She also stated that the ships directed by the President for ships entering and leaving Iranian ports are blocked. Emphasizing that the blockade is fully implemented, she stated that this blockade had to be reimposed because Iran was unable to respect and follow the agreement it made with the United States.

She said that the blockade is being enforced by a large US military deployment in the region. She stated that more than ten thousand US sailors, marines, and airmen, two aircraft carriers, more than 20 warships, and dozens of aircraft are implementing the blockade operation.

Levitt stated that in the first 24 hours of the blockade, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) redirected two commercial ships that were complying with the blockade. Emphasizing that commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is open and not blocked, Levitt said that the US Navy is deployed to ensure that Iranian ports are open for ships.

CENTCOM confirmed on Tuesday that it has resumed naval blockade targeting ships arriving and departing from Iranian ports and coastal areas. In a post on social media X, CENTCOM stated that US forces are continuing operations aimed at weakening Iran, which Washington is using to target commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

CENTCOM mentioned that more than 20 US Navy warships and hundreds of military aircraft have been deployed in the region as part of the blockade.