Trump vows Hormuz blockade -- can the US Navy actually enforce it? - DW News

US President Donald Trump says the US Navy will blockade the Strait of Hormuz — stopping ships that have paid Iran for passage.

The announcement comes after failed peace talks with Tehran, and raises urgent questions about whether such a move is even feasible.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most critical shipping routes, carrying around a fifth of global oil supplies.

But enforcing a blockade in such a narrow and heavily trafficked waterway would be a major military operation — and could risk direct confrontation with Iran.

In this DW News analysis, we examine:

• What a US naval blockade of Hormuz would involve
• Whether the US has the forces to enforce it
• How Iran could respond using asymmetric tactics
• And whether this risks escalation into open conflict

We speak to Sascha Bruchmann, military expert at the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

00:08 Trump announces Hormuz blockade
00:28 Trump: “We’re going to be blockading”
01:28 What would a blockade look like?
02:25 Does the US have enough forces?
03:58 Can the US control the Strait?
05:31 How Iran could respond
07:18 When does this become conflict?