Washington: The United States has reimposed a naval blockade on shipping entering and leaving Iranian ports and has seized three commercial vessels accused of attempting to violate it, according to the US Central Command (CENTCOM).
CENTCOM said one of the vessels was redirected after interception, another was disabled, while the third was boarded and inspected by US Marines during enforcement operations.
According to the US military, personnel from the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit conducted a boarding operation on the commercial tanker M/T Wen Yao in the Gulf of Oman on July 16.
CENTCOM also said the oil tanker M/T Belma was disabled in a missile strike after it allegedly ignored US warnings and continued sailing towards Iran’s Kharg Island.
The command maintained that the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding sea lanes remain open to normal commercial shipping and that enforcement measures are being directed only at vessels allegedly attempting to breach the blockade.
Separately, CENTCOM said US forces had carried out two rounds of strikes targeting Iranian military capabilities that it claimed posed a threat to maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran has not immediately responded to the US claims, and the reported actions could not be independently verified. The developments come amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran over regional security and freedom of navigation in the Gulf.
