US military says 94 merchant ships intercepted since Iran blockade resumed
US Central Command says it has intercepted 94 commercial vessels since the naval blockade of Iran was reinstated, with three ships disabled and two boarded. This follows earlier US strikes on Iranian oil tankers after Iran's Revolutionary Guard fired ballistic missiles at US Navy ships.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) has stated that since the resumption of Iran's maritime blockade, its forces have intercepted nearly a hundred merchant vessels heading to or from Iranian ports.
According to a CENTCOM post on the social network X, as of September 7 its forces had redirected 94 commercial ships, disabled three, and boarded two in order to ensure full compliance with the blockade.
Background
CENTCOM had previously reported strikes on three Iranian oil tankers. Those strikes came after Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched ballistic missiles toward US Navy vessels.
The naval blockade around Iran had been reinstated at an earlier point, and since then US forces have been monitoring shipping traffic in the region to prevent trade that could breach the imposed restrictions. The report does not specify the exact goals or legal basis of the blockade enforcement.
