US forces redirect 115 vessels under Iran blockade, Centcom says
The tally has climbed from 71 ships in late August to 115 by late September, according to US Central Command.
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Map: The Gulf and Hormuz, marking Strait of Hormuz
US Central Command says its forces have redirected 115 commercial vessels since the "Steel Wall" blockade of Iran resumed, a figure reported in late September.
The blockade targets ships entering or leaving Iranian ports, according to Wikipedia, citing Centcom. It resumed on July 14, 2026, after an earlier version ran from April 13 to June 18, according to RSB Network, which also cited Centcom. On September 12, Centcom said on social media that zero ships had passed through without US forces allowing it, and that 100 vessels had been redirected over the prior 60 days. During the April-to-June blockade, Centcom said forces redirected more than 140 vessels, disabled nine that did not comply, and let through more than 50 carrying humanitarian aid, per RSB Network.
The pace of redirections has picked up since late August, when the count stood at 71. That the number kept rising through the following weeks points to either tighter US enforcement or more attempts by Iran to get vessels through. Combined with earlier US strikes on Iranian coastal missile sites, which Centcom said in March destroyed bunkers storing cruise and anti-ship missiles, the trend points to sustained American pressure on Iranian oil exports and on shipping through the region.
Representatives from Iran and Gulf states were expected to meet in Oman to discuss the Strait of Hormuz, with Iran seeking fees from vessels passing through, a demand Oman has opposed, according to RSB Network.