American military leaders are developing contingency plans for targeted strikes against Iranian naval forces in the strategically crucial Strait of Hormuz as diplomatic efforts continue to stagnate, according to a CNN report.
The military strategy focuses on what officials call “dynamic targeting” of Iranian capabilities throughout the Strait of Hormuz, the southern Arabian Gulf, and Gulf of Oman regions.
Intelligence sources outlined potential operations against Iran’s fleet of rapid attack craft, mine-laying ships, and other unconventional naval assets that Tehran has deployed to control shipping lanes and exert pressure on Washington.
This critical maritime corridor handles approximately 20% of the world’s oil and natural gas shipments, while tensions between the two nations escalate amid stalled diplomatic discussions.
Previous American military actions targeted locations away from the Strait itself, allowing for operations deeper within Iranian territory. These new strategic plans emphasize a concentrated strike campaign focused specifically on the crucial shipping channels.
In a related development, US forces announced Thursday they had boarded a sanctioned tanker transporting Iranian oil in the Indian Ocean. Pentagon officials described conducting a “maritime interdiction” operation on the vessel M/T Majestic X, defining the action as intercepting or examining a ship suspected of legal violations.
American forces have stopped numerous ships since establishing a naval blockade of maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports on April 13.
President Donald Trump has authorized US military personnel to “shoot and kill” any vessel attempting to place mines within the Strait.
These escalating developments come after Wednesday’s incident where Iranian Revolutionary Guard patrol boats opened fire on three commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, capturing two ships while inflicting damage on a third.
