US launches naval blockade on Iran as warships mass across Middle East

The United States Navy has deployed at least 15 vessels across the Middle East, including an aircraft carrier and 11 destroyers, as it begins a maritime blockade targeting traffic to and from Iranian ports, according to a US official.

The move comes under the direction of US President Donald Trump, marking a significant escalation in tensions with Iran. However, the exact positions of the ships and which are directly involved in the blockade remain unclear. Previous tracking indicates the vessels are dispersed throughout the United States Central Command area of operations, CNN reports.

Among the deployed assets is the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, accompanied by multiple destroyers, including the USS Bainbridge, USS Thomas Hudner, USS Frank E. Petersen Jr., USS Delbert D. Black, USS John Finn, USS Michael Murphy, USS Mitscher, USS Pinckney, USS Rafael Peralta, USS Spruance and USS Milius.

Also in the region is the Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group, which includes the USS Tripoli, USS New Orleans and USS Rushmore.

Separately, the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, which had been involved in US operations related to the conflict with Iran, moved to Greece for repairs last month and is now operating in the eastern Mediterranean, according to a public tracker by USNI News.

While accompanied by additional destroyers and support ships, the carrier would need to transit either through the Suez Canal or navigate around Africa before it could directly support blockade operations.

By Sabina Mammadli