Trump's Naval Siege Strategy Against Iran: Smart, Strategic, and Dangerous
Written on March 25, 2025.
Recent developments in the Persian Gulf and Red Sea indicate that the United States, under the direction of President Donald Trump, is executing a highly strategic and potentially dangerous campaign against Iran—without setting foot on Iranian soil. Drawing parallels to both the Houthi naval disruption tactics in the Red Sea and Ukraine’s use of NATO intelligence to strike within Russian borders, the U.S. appears to be turning naval supremacy into a pressure point for geopolitical dominance.
According to reports circulating on Telegram, including from Israeli commentator Moshe HaCohen, American forces are actively blocking Iranian oil shipments in the Persian Gulf. In response, Iran has begun deploying submarines to the Red Sea, launching 250 fast attack boats into the Gulf, and positioning missiles and artillery on islands near the Strait of Hormuz—a crucial chokepoint through which much of the world’s oil supply flows.
The U.S. move appears to be a direct enforcement of sanctions on Iran, preventing the export of its oil—a strategy that hits at the very heart of Iran’s economy. But more than that, it reveals a bold tactical doctrine that leverages American dominance at sea.
Why Naval Strategy Makes Sense Against Iran
Iran is a formidable regional power with rugged geography and a heavily fortified, underground military infrastructure. A ground invasion would be logistically nightmarish and politically catastrophic. Trump’s apparent strategy circumvents these challenges entirely by engaging Iran where the U.S. has total superiority: on the water.
The United States Navy boasts unmatched capability in blue-water and regional conflict zones. Advanced submarines, aircraft carriers, satellite surveillance, and precision strike assets give America a decisive advantage. Iran’s navy, in contrast, is primarily defensive, coastal, and reliant on swarms of fast boats and missiles. It cannot match the U.S. ship for ship.
Potential Steps in a Naval Siege Strategy
- Disrupt Iranian surveillance – Reports suggest the U.S. may have already destroyed a key Iranian spy ship that provided real-time intelligence to the Houthis. This mirrors Ukraine’s NATO-aided strikes deep into Russia.
- Maritime interdiction – U.S. vessels are allegedly preventing Iranian oil tankers from leaving the Gulf, effectively choking Tehran's economy.
- Precision strikes in response to retaliation – Any Iranian counterattack from islands or fast boats would provide justification for U.S. surgical strikes, likely limited to naval targets.
- Sustain economic pressure – With its oil exports blocked and naval assets crippled, Iran would face internal unrest and international isolation without the U.S. needing to escalate to full-scale war.
Trump vs. Biden: A Different Breed of Geopolitical Warfare
Under the previous administration of President Biden, U.S. foreign policy relied more on multilateral diplomacy and international agreements. President Trump, in contrast, has favored maximum pressure tactics—using overwhelming force, covert operations, and economic strangulation to achieve strategic goals.
Trump's approach is marked by sudden, unpredictable moves that catch adversaries off guard, such as the 2020 drone strike on General Qassem Soleimani. His method avoids prolonged troop deployments in favor of shock-and-awe events, economic pain, and media spectacle. This naval squeeze on Iran fits the mold perfectly.
A New Model for U.S. Warfare?
What is unfolding may become a template for future American conflict: avoiding the entanglements of ground invasions while crippling enemy economies through smart use of naval and technological power. It’s asymmetric, high-leverage warfare that takes advantage of U.S. strengths in intelligence, logistics, and global reach.
Yet the risks remain severe. Iran may retaliate against U.S. allies, strike bases in the Gulf, or attempt to close the Strait of Hormuz. Oil prices could skyrocket, and China or Russia might exploit the instability.
Still, if Trump's goal is to show strength, discipline adversaries, and create space for new negotiations—without American casualties—this move may be among the most strategic (and dangerous) plays in modern U.S. geopolitical history.