US military ‘preparing to board Iran-linked ships in just DAYS’ marking huge escalation in Strait of Hormuz arm wrestle

The US military is preparing to board Iranian-linked ships and oil tankers in the coming days; It’s a move that will turn the conflict, largely confined to the Strait of Hormuz, into a global crackdown.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine announced the escalation of tensions on Thursday, according to U.S. officials who interviewed him. Wall StreetJournal.

Caine said the US would ‘actively pursue any Iranian-flagged ship or any ship that attempts to provide material support to Iran’.

‘This includes dark fleet ships carrying Iranian oil. “As many of you know, dark fleet vessels are illegal or illicit vessels that evade international regulations, sanctions or insurance requirements,” Caine added.

This mission, called Economic Rage, will be conducted with the assistance of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and will be in addition to the U.S. Navy’s blockade of all Iranian ports in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman.

The United States has already turned back 23 ships attempting to leave Iranian ports, according to U.S. Central Command.

This comes after the Iranian military re-established ‘tight control’ over the Strait of Hormuz and attacked several ships trying to pass through the narrow waterway on Saturday.

The alleged Iranian attacks, which included two Indian ships, came just a day after Iran’s foreign minister said the Strait of Hormuz was open to commercial traffic.

This upcoming economic pressure campaign will go a step further than the current US strategy of a complete blockade of all Iranian ports. New directive from Caine will allow US Navy to intercept any Iran-linked ship on sanctions list

President Donald Trump took the secretary of state’s statement as fact, declaring on Friday morning that the strait was ‘FULLY OPEN AND READY FOR BUSINESS’.

Trump followed this up with a series of optimistic statements about negotiating an end to the war. He even said that Iran had agreed to transfer its remaining supply of highly enriched uranium to the United States, but Iran refused.

In his statement later on Friday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammed Bagir Galibaf warned that “the Strait of Hormuz will not remain open” if the US blockade continues.

The blockade has continued and the Trump administration has shown no signs of compromising on any of Iran’s demands.

Trump is optimistic that the blockade and interception of Iranian-flagged ships around the world will force the Iranians to the table by severely limiting imports into the country.

Previously, Iran’s dominance over the Strait of Hormuz was a tactical advantage, allowing global oil and gas prices to soar. About 20 percent of the world’s daily oil supply passes through the strait, making it a vital transit point.

The president’s strategy of separating Iran from the world market is very similar to his strategy of drastically restricting the flow of oil to Cuba.

As in Iran, he is seeking regime change in the island nation, which has been under communist rule since Fidel Castro came to power in 1959.

Economic Rage, as the mission was called, came after peace talks between the United States and Iran collapsed last weekend. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says the United States is ready to fight if a deal is not reached before the ceasefire expires next week

Meanwhile, Iran is taking steps to continue the war, retrieving its underground missile launchers and preparing medium- to short-range payloads.

The push to increase economic pressure comes as a temporary ceasefire between Iran and the United States expires next week.

Peace talks held in Pakistan last weekend failed to produce any progress or a permanent halt in the conflict between the two sides. A new round of negotiations is not planned.

Both sides are taking precautions in case conflicts continue, as Iran retains thousands of medium- and short-range missiles. The country also retrieves launchers from underground storage sites, many of which are buried in mountainous regions.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said US forces were in ‘maximum posture’ to pick up where they left off if diplomacy failed.

Hegseth said striking Iran’s power plants was still an option, although experts say it would be against international law. The move could also invite Iran to retaliate by bombing energy infrastructure in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Arab states allied with the United States.

Trump administration officials reportedly dislike using ground troops, which would lead to the deaths of US soldiers and potential backlash from the American public.

Trump and his allies have largely settled on an economic pressure campaign as the way forward.

The US military will likely board sanctioned ships controlled by oil shipping magnate Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani. He is the son of Ali Shamkani (pictured), one of the important advisors of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Ali Shamkani was killed along with the Ayatollah in the Israeli airstrike that started the war in late February (Image: Women hold a banner of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his son Mojtaba Khamenei, who served as the new Supreme Leader)

As part of the Economic Outrage, the Treasury Department announced Wednesday that it has imposed sanctions on more companies and individuals with ties to ‘Iran’s illicit oil transportation infrastructure.’

The newly approved ships and firms are controlled by oil shipping magnate Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani, according to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani is the son of Ali Shamkhani, a senior security advisor to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Ali Shamkhani was killed along with the Iranian leader in the Israeli air strike that started the war in late February.

There are currently hundreds of Iran-linked sanctioned ships that could be removed or intercepted by the US military.

This may reflect how the U.S. Navy interdicted at least seven oil ships with connections to Venezuela before and after Nicolas Maduro was captured in a late-night operation in early January.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche also said he would sue anyone who buys or sells sanctioned Iranian oil.

The Daily Mail has reached out to the White House for comment.