CENTCOM: 110 commercial vessels rerouted since resumption of blockade on Iranian ports

The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced yesterday that it has rerouted 110 commercial vessels since the resumption of the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports in mid-July. In a statement, CENTCOM said that as of the 21st of the current month, U.S. forces have changed the course of 110 commercial ships, disabled three vessels, and inspected two others to ensure full compliance with the blockade imposed on Iran. It added that its forces have allowed more than 50 vessels to pass for humanitarian reasons, while affirming that U.S. forces continue to strictly enforce the naval blockade on Iranian ports. CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper had confirmed in a Saturday operational update that U.S. forces have helped ensure the safe passage of more than one billion barrels of oil through the Strait of Hormuz over the past two months. He added that while U.S. forces continue to keep the Strait of Hormuz “open and safe,” they are simultaneously preventing Iran from exporting any oil shipments from its ports, emphasizing that the naval blockade on Iran remains “effective and strong” and is achieving its objectives.