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Death Trap for US Warships - Hormuz 'Blockade' Would Backfire: Analysts
Death Trap for US Warships - Hormuz 'Blockade' Would Backfire: Analysts
Sputnik India
On Monday, the US claimed it had allegedly imposed a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, stopping Iranian-owned ships from entering or leaving the key shipping... 15.04.2026, Sputnik India
2026-04-15T14:00+0530
2026-04-15T14:00+0530
2026-04-15T22:21+0530
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A Chinese-linked sanctioned tanker reportedly transited the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday despite United States claims of a blockade, testing the limits of American enforcement.The US Central Command (CENTCOM) has outlined the blockade doctrine, explaining that it is against ships operating from the Iranian ports, to choke off the Iran’s oil sails to global consumers, he added. To shut off the strait, the US has set up a surveillance zone in the Gulf of Oman with patrols, drones, and satellite tracking, Saghal pointed out, explaining that intercepted ships are ordered to return, and any resistance is met with what is called coercive compliance.Iran has 15 to 20 small midget submarines, which are all already deployed on the seabed and can discharge sea mines at a very fast pace, Saghal noted, and American sonars are in difficult position to locate the, due to heavy commercial traffic and noise. However, if such a scenario occurs, Hormuz would become a death trap for ships — even American military vessels, the observer underlined. The US has no legal basis on which it can execute a blockade, retired Major General Prabdeep Singh Behl stated in an interview with Sputnik India, adding that China proved America is just bullying.The Chinese have just tested US, and will do so again, and the world will soon find that the Americans cannot enforce such kind of blockade with the meagre resources that they have put in place, he stressed.At present, the American Navy has about 15-20 ships in the region, which is insufficient for such an operation, Behl highlighted, a real blockade requires at least two carrier strike groups.Also, Iran has already warned that if the US seizes commercial ships, or causes any damage or interference with Iranian cargo vessels, it will seize and sell American tankers — a tit-for-tat with Iran holding the upper hand, he concluded.
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Death Trap for US Warships - Hormuz 'Blockade' Would Backfire: Analysts
14:00 15.04.2026 (Updated: 22:21 15.04.2026) On Monday, the US claimed it had allegedly imposed a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, stopping Iranian-owned ships from entering or leaving the key shipping route.
A Chinese-linked sanctioned tanker reportedly transited the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday despite United States claims of a blockade, testing the limits of American enforcement.
"This whole issue of the American blockade of Hormuz is linked to what is called maritime coercion. The aim of this doctrine is economic strangulation rather than outright denial. So, it's a sort of hybrid legal-economic-enforcement regime that is being put into place," Arun Sahgal, retired Brigadier and Delhi Policy Group-associated analyst, told Sputnik India.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) has outlined the blockade doctrine, explaining that it is against ships operating from the Iranian ports, to choke off the
Iran’s oil sails to global consumers, he added.
To shut off the strait, the US has set up a surveillance zone in the Gulf of Oman with patrols, drones, and satellite tracking, Saghal pointed out, explaining that intercepted ships are ordered to return, and any resistance is met with what is called coercive compliance.
"The problem with executing this strategy is the lack of manoeuvring space for escort vessels. All US operations are within Iranian range, so Tehran's surveillance, missiles, and drones are all watching the Americans closely. That makes their task very difficult," he stressed.
Iran has 15 to 20 small midget submarines, which are all already deployed on the seabed and can
discharge sea mines at a very fast pace, Saghal noted, and American sonars are in difficult position to locate the, due to heavy commercial traffic and noise.
However, if such a scenario occurs, Hormuz would become a death trap for ships — even American military vessels, the observer underlined.
The US has no legal basis on which it can execute a blockade, retired
Major General Prabdeep Singh Behl stated in an interview with Sputnik India, adding that China proved America is just bullying.
The Chinese have just tested US, and will do so again, and the world will soon find that the Americans cannot enforce such kind of blockade with the meagre resources that they have put in place, he stressed.
At present, the American Navy has about 15-20 ships in the region, which is insufficient for such an operation, Behl highlighted, a real blockade requires at least two carrier strike groups.
"Additionally, Americans would require many destroyers, at least half a dozen attack submarines, hundred odd aircraft for surveillance and minesweepers, since the Iranians have mined certain portions of the strait," Behl asserted. "The entire gambit of a naval operation is required, and at the moment, the US is woefully short of that."
Also, Iran has already warned that if the US seizes commercial ships, or causes any damage or interference with Iranian cargo vessels, it will seize and sell American tankers — a tit-for-tat with Iran holding the upper hand, he concluded.
