President Trump has imposed a U.S. naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, reportedly backed by more than 15 warships, to pressure Iran into resuming nuclear negotiations after peace talks in Pakistan ended without a breakthrough. While Trump says Iranian officials have reached out seeking a deal, Iran has publicly vowed to respond harshly to any aggression, and several U.S. allies—including the U.K., Australia and Spain—have declined to support the blockade.

“I think the next couple of days would be crucial to see what the [Iranian] response is,” Vice Adm. Robert Murrett (Ret.), professor of practice of public administration and international affairs, tells The Hill. “It’s going to be a pretty dicey operation, I think it can be carried out, but the next couple of days are critical in terms of how it’s carried forward,” he says.

In an interview with CBS News (beginning at 8:00), Murrett says, “They (U.S. Navy) are certainly prepared for it, but the implementation and how the tactics unfold here...are important. Free and open navigation of the Straits of Hormuz is in the interest of everybody, all the people in the region and far-flung areas, just because of the fact it needs to be an open waterway. How you do the implementation is important.”