Blockades are legal under international law, but they are unquestionably acts of war. The laws governing the application and enforcement of naval blockades are derived from rulings of Anglo-U.S. prize courts in the 19th century as well as a series of naval treaties that were concluded in the early 20th century. To satisfy these requirements, a blockade must be: openly declared to the government that is being subjected to the blockade; effective and continuous (the blockading party must have sufficient forces in place to intercept naval traffic); and it must be impartially applied to all vessels.
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