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The river of HormuzThe narrow channel, which contained one-fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas, remained largely closed after the United States and Iran ordered competition. barriers.
Marine bombs are one of the oldest weapons of war, which do not require ground troops or attack, can eliminate the enemy’s survival needs. These blockages have also changed economies, institutions and relationships over the generations, sometimes with immediate ripples, sometimes with effects that only become visible later.
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From Israel’s siege of the Gaza Strip to the blockade of World War I, here are some of the most famous naval strikes in modern history:
Israel’s Siege of Gaza (2007-present)
Israel’s total land, sea and air blockade of the Gaza Strip is one of the longest in modern history.
Established in 2007, Israel has restricted the entry of goods and essential goods, causing financial and economic hardship for the 2.3 million people of the Strip, who are unable to move freely.
Before Israel’s war on Gaza begins in October 2023, fishermen were restricted to 6-15 nautical miles (11-28km) from the coast, under the 20-nautical-mile (37km) zone determined by Oslo Accords.
After 2023, with Israel’s death-of-starvation law, fishermen have taken steps to feed their families, resulting in many being killed by Israeli fire.
Since 2008, several Ships of the Freedom Flotilla tried to break the Israeli border. Since 2010, all flotillas attempting to breach the Gaza border have been intercepted or attacked by Israel in international waters.
On April 30, Israel attacked 22 of the 58 ships in the latest Global Sumud Flotilla race in international waters more than 1,000km (620 miles) from Gaza.
Closure of Biafra (1967-70)
At the time of Civil War in Nigeriawhich started in July 1967, the Nigerian government established land, sea and air in the independent Republic of Biafra soon after it declared its independence.
The blockade led to widespread starvation, which was seen as a deliberate wartime strategy, turning a territorial dispute into a war zone. human problems around the world. Death tolls vary, but it is estimated that 1 or 2 million people died, mostly from starvation and disease rather than direct conflict.
The almost three-year blockade ended with the surrender of Biafra in January 1970.
Closure of Beira Patrol (1966-75):
The Beira Patrol was trapped for nine years by the British military to prevent oil from reaching Rhodesia, Zimbabwe today, through the Mozambican port of Beira, forced under United Nations sanctions following Rhodesia’s declaration of independence.
The blockade largely failed in its purpose. Rhodesia continued to receive oil through South Africa and other Mozambican ports, which a UN resolution did not allow the British navy to seize.
In addition, the cost to the United Kingdom was higher. The project built 76 submarines over nine years, with two frigates required to stand by at all times.
The embargo ended in July 1975, when Mozambique, soon after gaining independence from Portugal, agreed to impose an oil embargo on Rhodesia, which made the navy less efficient.
Cuban Missile Crisis ‘quarantine’ (1962)
In October 1962, the US ordered the “isolation” of Cuba after US U-2 spy planes discovered a Soviet nuclear missile site being built on the island.
The US deliberately called it an “isolation” rather than a blockade, which would have been a legal war, in order to prevent the Soviets from bringing in more military equipment and forcing them to remove existing weapons.
The isolation zone created a line 500 nautical miles (920km) from the coast of Cuba, where US warships were authorized to stop, search, and return any ships carrying dangerous weapons if necessary.
This crisis brought the entire world to the brink of nuclear war. The Soviet First Secretary at the time, Nikita Khrushchev, called the blockade “pure piracy” and brutality, and initially ordered the ships to move on. For several days, the Soviet fleet cruised toward the isolated settlement as far as the world could see.
The most dangerous part of the standoff lasted 13 days. An agreement was reached where the Soviets would withdraw their nuclear weapons from Cuba in exchange for an open US declaration not to attack Cuba, and a secret agreement to remove US Jupiter missiles from Turkey.
The naval blockade ended on November 20, 1962, after all missiles and bombs were removed.
Blockade of Wonsan (1951-53)
During the Korean War, US-led UN naval forces blockaded the North Korean port of Wonsan in February 1951, which lasted for nearly two and a half years.
The aim was to prevent North Korean forces from entering the city, which was important for its main port, airport and oil refinery.
The blockade began with a dangerous mine clearance operation in October 1950. The North Korean military was successfully supplied by the Soviet Union and China with sea mines, and during the clearance, the destroyers USS Pledge and USS Pirate sank, killing 12 men and injuring many.
The operation trapped North Korean and Chinese forces on the east coast, forcing them to divert thousands of troops and artillery away from the front line. UN forces also seized several harbor islands, which strengthened the blockade of the port.
The blockade ended after 861 days with the signing of the Korean Armistice Treaty in July 1953. Meanwhile, allied naval fire had nearly destroyed Wonsan.
Blockade of US Navy ships in Japan (1942-45)
The US established a naval blockade against Japan during the Pacific War.
The blockade began in 1942, including attacks by US ships on trade routes and mines to undermine Japan’s military strength, disrupt shipping and cut off vital supplies such as food and fuel.
As an island nation, Japan was extremely vulnerable, almost entirely dependent on imported oil, rubber and raw materials. Its economy and military could not function without open sea lanes.
During the war, US submarines sank 1,300 Japanese merchant ships and nearly 200 warships. By 1945, oil imports had ended.
Exports collapsed, leading to severe shortages and malnutrition in Japan by 1945, although the extent of civilian starvation is disputed.
After the US dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima on August 6 and Nagasaki on August 9, 1945, Japan announced its surrender on August 15, bringing a stalemate and ending the Pacific War.
Blockade of the Eastern Mediterranean (1915-1818)
In August 1915, during World War I, the allied forces blockaded the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea in order to disarm and weaken the Ottoman Empire.
The declared territory stretched from the junction of the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea in the north to the border of Egypt in the south. The blockade was initiated by Britain and France, later supported by Italy and other allies.
The results were devastating. Weapons, ammunition, fuel, food and medicine were targeted. The food crisis was exacerbated by a plague of locusts in 1915 and a severe drought, which caused a severe famine in Lebanon and Greater Syria.
Reports indicate that the famine killed 500,000 people by 1918, mostly civilians, while Mount Lebanon lost almost a third of its population. Many people moved away.
The blockade remained in place throughout the war and was lifted when the Allies captured Beirut and Mount Lebanon in October 1918.
The Allied Blockade of Germany (1914-1919)
The British Navy began a blockade of Germany almost as soon as the war began in August 1914.
A naval blockade stretched from the English Channel to Norway, cutting off Germany from the sea.
Britain dug into international waters to prevent ships from entering the sea, causing danger even to neutral ships.
Germany responded by declaring the seas around the British Isles a “war zone”, prompting Britain and France to ban all goods to and from Germany.
The most devastating result of the blockade was famine. The winter of 1916-1717, known as the Turnip Winter, was one of the most painful years of the war in Germany.
The blockade reduced food and fertilizer imports, a poor potato harvest, and reduced food distribution exacerbated the crisis. It is estimated that between 424,000 and 763,000 civilians died from diseases caused by starvation and malnutrition.
The blockade was not lifted until July 1919, when the Treaty of Versailles was signed.
