The US launched more strikes against Iran in the lead-up to its pending blockade of all Iranian ports at 4 p.m. ET Tuesday — that could send Iran’s struggling economy back into a tailspin.
The military effort to “continue degrading Iranian capabilities used to attack commercial shipping” began at 3 p.m. ET, according to the statement.
“The strikes are taking place as American forces prepare to resume the naval blockade against Iranian ports and coastal areas,” the combatant command said.
With less than an hour to go before the blockade is enacted, traffic was ticking along with about 22 commercial transits over the past 24 hours, according to maritime tracking data.
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Regional sources with whom The Post spoke on Tuesday described the blockade as the next step necessary to tighten the screws on a defiant Tehran, with one official saying targeting Iran’s economy does “much more” to move the needle than missile strikes.
Under the blockade, only Iranian ships and Tehran’s customers will be unable to use the strait, while all other countries have fair use.
”Gulf leaders view the reimposition of the American blockade on Iranian vessels as a focused and necessary response to the party responsible for recent disruptions,” Emirati geopolitical analyst and author Ahmed Sharif Al Ameri told The Post.
“The blockade neutralizes immediate threats from the regime that has long used the chokepoint as a weapon,” he added.
Shipping experts say the blockade and the US presence will help ensure the strait can stay open while also punishing Iran.
“The only way to actually have the Strait of Hormuz operable in a contested environment is to have United States military capacity and presence,” said Brandon Daniels, CEO of AI supply chain company Exiger.
“All major shipping line CEOs, including those from the US, EU, Middle East and Asia, have said this to me personally as we have seen the Middle East become a disruption hot spot over the last five years.”
It’s unclear how much traffic will be immediately able to pass through, as Iran regularly targeted ships in the Strait of Hormuz during the US’ first blockade on Iranian ports — which was lifted as part of the now-defunct US-Iran memorandum of understanding signed last month.
With less than an hour to go before the blockade is enacted, traffic was ticking along with about 22 commercial transits over the past 24 hours, according to maritime tracking data.
