Six weeks after the beginning of the war with Iran, President Donald Trump is giving the United States Navy its most difficult jobs of the conflict: blockade Iran’s ports and clear the strategic Strait of Hormuz of any Iranian mines.
The blockade order would apply to all Iranian ports, both inside and outside of the strait –– a critical passage for the global energy trade on which Iran has had a chokehold since the war broke out – from 10 a.m. ET Monday, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said.
Trump indicated that mission would have an even wider scope too, possibly well outside the Persian Gulf.
“I have also instructed our Navy to seek and interdict every vessel in…