The deadline set by Donald Trump for the U.S. Navy to begin a maritime blockade intercepting all ships entering or leaving Iranian ports has arrived, though it is not yet clear whether the Navy has started the operation.
The deadline of 10:00 a.m. on Monday, 13 Nov 2026 GMT-5 (or 9:00 p.m. the same day Thai time) set by Donald Trump as the start of the naval blockade against all ships traveling to or from Iran's ports has arrived amid renewed tensions between the U.S. and Iran.
In the early hours of Monday, Trump posted on Truth Social that the U.S. would begin "blocking ships traveling into or out of Iranian ports" at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time (U.S. time).
According to an announcement from the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) directed at mariners, the blockade will cover "the entire coastline of Iran" and will affect vessels of all nationalities in the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, east of the Strait of Hormuz.
CENTCOM warned that any ship "entering or leaving the blockade area without permission may be intercepted, redirected, or seized," but exceptions will be made for humanitarian cargo such as food and medical supplies, which must undergo inspections beforehand.
Meanwhile, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had previously warned that any warship approaching the Strait of Hormuz would face "severe retaliation."
. bbc