US patrols ‘enforce’ blockade on Iran as Hormuz tensions rise
Shafaq News- Middle East
A US Navy guided-missile destroyer is patrolling regional waters to enforce a blockade that has halted Iran’s maritime trade, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Saturday.
The USS Pinckney (DDG-91) is operating as part of a wider deployment to prevent ships from entering or leaving Iranian ports. CENTCOM had also claimed that vessels began turning back under naval instructions.
Guided-missile destroyer USS Pinckney (DDG 91) patrols regional waters in support of blockade operations. The blockade has completely halted economic trade going into and out of Iran by sea. pic.twitter.com/x5hr6jMnke
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) April 18, 2026
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) earlier re-closed the Strait of Hormuz after rejecting the continued US blockade despite a ceasefire, with some ships turning back or coming under fire during attempted transit.
