Trump’s Blockade Falters as Iranian Ghost Ships Navigate Past US Navy

The naval blockade enforced by Donald Trump at the Strait of Hormuz has faced early challenges, as multiple vessels linked to Iran have continued to pass through the waterway despite the operation.

The US Navy’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz began at 10 am ET on Monday, targeting Iranian tankers and vessels linked to Iran entering or leaving its ports. The move comes after talks between Washington and Tehran failed in Islamabad as the two countries failed to reach an understanding to end the Iran war.

However, 24 hours into the blockade, multiple ships have passed through the Strait, including four tankers linked to Iran. More than 20 commercial ships have passed through the Strait of Hormuz, according to two US officials quoted by The Wall Street Journal.

One of the vessels was a Chinese-owned tanker previously sanctioned by the US in 2023 for transporting Iranian oil. It was later observed in the Gulf of Oman on Tuesday. The continued movement of ships has raised questions about the effectiveness of the blockade, as well as how it can be enforced in such a critical and heavily trafficked waterway.

The Chinese tanker, however, appeared to do a U-turn to sail back into the Persian Gulf after trying to exit through the Strait of Hormuz. The Rich Starry, carrying chemicals and oil products and flying a false Malawian flag, made it past the narrowest stretch of the strait before turning around on Tuesday, according to ship-tracking firm Kpler. Ship-tracking data suggest the ship had been sailing out of Hormuz from Emirati waters.

Samir Madani, co-founder of TankerTrackers, noted that the vessel’s actions highlight the difficulties in monitoring and intercepting ships attempting to evade sanctions through deceptive practices such as false flagging and route manipulation.