NEW YORK, April 15. /TASS/. The US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz could lead to further casualties among American troops, according to an analytical report by CNN.

"But the blockade will require serious military power to enforce, putting US troops in harm’s way - a consequence the US has largely avoided so far by conducting the majority of its attack from the air. Putting boots on enemy ships and taking control of dangerous waters threatens to increase the US death toll," CNN reported. Especially that Iran has already vowed to attack US ships with small speed boats and inexpensive drones.

The United States and Israel launched a military operation against Iran on February 28. Major Iranian cities, including Tehran, were struck. The White House justified the attack by citing alleged missile and nuclear threats from Iran. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced a retaliatory operation, targeting sites in Israel. US military bases in Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE were also hit. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and some other key Iranian leaders were killed in the joint US-Israeli attack. Iranian authorities also decided to close the Strait of Hormuz to vessels associated with the United States, Israel, and countries that supported the aggression against the Islamic Republic.

On April 11, the parties held several rounds of talks in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad. According to both Tehran and Washington, they were unable to agree on a long-term solution to the conflict. The Associated Press reported that the next round of talks might take place on April 16. The United States Navy said it would enforce a blockade on Iran preventing ships from passing through the Strait of Hormuz starting April 13.