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The US Central Command offered a rare glimpse into its night-time operations, showcasing some of its most lethal assets, including the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli ploughing through the Arabian Sea near the Strait of Hormuz under the cover of darkness.
US shares rare glimpse of Hormuz night ops amid blockade
New Delhi,UPDATED: Apr 14, 2026 08:30 IST
As Donald Trump ordered a naval blockade targeting Iranian-linked ships over the weekend, tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and the risk of further military escalation in the region have risen.
Against this backdrop, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) offered a rare glimpse into its night-time operations, showcasing some of its most lethal assets, including the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli ploughing through the Arabian Sea near the Strait of Hormuz under the cover of darkness.
The design of the Tripoli, the CENTCOM pointed out, allows it to carry a larger fleet of F-35B stealth fighters, MV-22 Ospreys, helicopters, and enhanced maintenance facilities. At full capacity, the vessel can support more than twenty F-35Bs, it added.
Following Trump’s blockade order, CENTCOM said it would be enforced equally on all vessels entering or leaving Iranian ports and coastal regions, including those in the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.
On Monday, the US President warned that any Iranian fast-attack boats approaching the blockade would be destroyed. He also asserted that the United States would not permit Tehran to “extort the world.”
Meanwhile, Al Jazeera reported that an Iranian-linked ship, which was either stuck in the strait or about to depart, managed to pass through the US blockade shortly after it was announced.
The blockade was announced by Trump on Sunday following the return of a US delegation from talks with Iran in Pakistan. Led by Vice President JD Vance and including special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, the group failed to secure a deal to end the six-week war between the US, Israel, and Iran.
Trump’s initial statement on Truth Social indicated that the blockade would target all vessels departing from or seeking to dock at Iranian ports. However, moments later, CENTCOM clarified that US forces would not interfere with ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz to or from ports outside Iran.
The move comes despite a two-week ceasefire agreed upon last Wednesday between the United States and Iran to support ongoing negotiations.
- Ends
Published By:
Sayan Ganguly
Published On:
Apr 14, 2026 08:30 IST
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