YOU AND WHOSE NAVY?

"Iran threatens 45 tankers with fines, confiscation in Hormuz escalation."  Regime dead-enders think they've identified the ships participating in the shuttle operation transloading Gulf Arabian product to ships sheltering well away from the mullahs' putative blockade.

It's in the nature for the men of Asia Minor to posture and bluster, and perhaps that's what we're seeing.

The named ‌vessels could be fined, detained and have their cargoes confiscated, according to an X post late on Sunday from the Persian Gulf Strait ​Authority, a new body set up by Iran to manage the strait.

The warning was issued within days of the U.S. threatening Iran with "the toughest sanctions in history", and Iran saying its response to any new U.S. threats would be "devastating".

The restricted list includes very large crude carriers, liquefied natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas tankers, and clean product vessels, among others.

Some of ‌the named ships are owned by the ⁠United Arab Emirates' ADNOC Logistics and Shipping (ADNOC L&S), ADNOC's subsidiary Navig8 Tankers, and Saudi Arabia's national shipping carrier Bahri.

Any vessels involved in ship-to-ship transfers with the named vessels could be ⁠added to the blacklist, the Iranian X post added.

The post did not spell out what it meant by Iran's rules, but Tehran has in the past said ship-owners should get its clearance to transit the strait and said ships should pay for security and other services.

There might be some regional discontent in that naming of Emirates-operated ships.  Rogue wogs flipped missiles at the Emirates a few days ago, and the Emirates told the mullahs "no more money laundering for you."  As far as identifying ships making transfers, that might help disclose whose satellites are providing regime holdovers with information.

Let the anaconda's coils tighten.