Shelby Holliday

That assumes the risk and demonstrates to other vessels that it is safe to transit this route.

However, Iran is still attacking ships.

So as of now, the time that you and I are speaking, we've only heard about two U.S.

flagged ships leaving the Persian Gulf through this path.

And we won't know if this is working for maybe another 24 hours.

And we'll be looking to see whether ships from other countries are willing to try to get through the Strait of Hormuz.

So far, the U.S.

seems to be going it alone.

They are the ones putting up this defensive umbrella, flying the aircraft, sending in the warships and trying to get ships moving out of the Persian Gulf.

It was interesting because Iran attacked a South Korean-flagged ship today, and President Trump said maybe South Korea should get involved in this effort.

So it's clear that the U.S.

wants other countries' help.

However, the concern about Iran retaliation is very real, and other countries have said they don't want to send their own forces into this very tense and scary waterway until the hostilities have completely ceased and that it's clear that everyone will be able to transit safely.

The idea, according to a release by US Central Command, is that the US is going to stop any ships that are going to or from Iranian ports.

So this is not necessarily about the Strait of Hormuz.

This is about causing economic pain to Iran and preventing Iran from trading with the rest of the world on the water.

The US has more than 15 warships in the region to support this blockade, which is a huge naval presence.

And it gives a lot of options in terms of going after ships that try to enter or leave Iranian ports.

You have an aircraft carrier, the USS Abraham Lincoln.

That has a huge flight deck, so it could very easily be used as a base of operations if the US is planning to board oil tankers, for example.