Strait of Hormuz [Reuters=Yonhap News File Photo]

U.S. President Donald Trump’s announced naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz against Iran is set to resume at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the 14th (5:00 a.m. on the 15th, Korea Standard Time).

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees military operations in the Middle East, stated in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on the 13th that, "per the direction of the Commander-in-Chief (President Trump), we are resuming the blockade of maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports" at this time.

Earlier, President Trump had signaled the resumption of the blockade against Iran on his social media platform, Truth Social, earlier that day.

The Trump administration previously imposed a blockade on all vessels entering or leaving Iranian ports and coastal areas on April 13, aimed at cutting off Iran's sources of funding.

The blockade was lifted on the 18th of last month after the U.S. and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to end hostilities.

However, it has been reinstated following a series of armed confrontations, including U.S. strikes on major Iranian military facilities in response to recent Iranian attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, and subsequent Iranian airstrikes on U.S. military bases in the Middle East.

This measure, which cuts off Iran's exports, including crude oil, while also blocking the inflow of various goods, is expected to exacerbate Iran's economic difficulties and significantly heighten tensions in the Middle East.

During the first period of the naval blockade, the U.S. military diverted over 140 vessels that complied with the measures and neutralized nine that refused to follow U.S. instructions. Additionally, it permitted the passage of approximately 50 ships providing humanitarian aid.