Newsletters
American naval forces redirected 55 commercial vessels, disabled two and boarded two others over the weekend, US Central Command said Sunday, in the latest tally from a maritime blockade Washington has imposed on Iran amid a monthslong military standoff between the two countries.
CENTCOM said in a post on the social media platform X that US sailors were standing watch aboard the USS Ross, a guided-missile destroyer, as part of a deployment of more than 20 US warships to the Middle East.
The command said the vessels are supporting a range of military missions in the region, including enforcement of the blockade against Iran. CENTCOM did not identify the vessels involved, their flags, cargo or destinations, nor did it describe the circumstances under which the two ships were disabled or the two others boarded.
The blockade is the latest development in a conflict that began in February, when the United States and Israel launched a joint military offensive against Iran. Tehran responded with drone and missile strikes on Gulf countries hosting American military assets, drawing in a wider swath of the region.
The fighting did not end quickly. The US and Iran reached a ceasefire in April, and by June the two sides had signed a memorandum of understanding, mediated by Pakistan, intended to formally end the conflict and pave the way toward a lasting peace agreement.
That diplomatic framework fell apart last month. The US and Iran exchanged attacks for nearly two weeks before President Donald Trump halted the American bombing campaign, a move that came as reports emerged of renewed talks aimed at resolving the conflict. CENTCOM's Sunday update did not address the status of those talks or say whether the blockade would continue, be expanded or be lifted.
The Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway CENTCOM's operations are centered on, is one of the world's most important energy corridors, with roughly a fifth of global oil consumption historically passing through it, underscoring the economic stakes of prolonged disruption to shipping traffic in the area.
Set as preferred source
Set as preferred source
1 min read
1 min read
