Europe Asia News

CENTCOM said that on October 5, the 130th commercial vessel in the Middle East was rerouted as part of the ongoing U.S. maritime blockade on Iran.

In a statement, CENTCOM said U.S. forces resumed enforcement of the blockade on July 14, at the direction of the U.S. President, against vessels attempting to enter or leave Iranian ports.

The statement said 130 vessels had been rerouted, while three vessels that refused to comply with the blockade were neutralized by U.S. forces. It added that over the past 12 weeks, 13 commercial vessels that were said to have violated the blockade or to have been part of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps’ multibillion-dollar covert network were also destroyed.

CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper said, “The U.S. military remains intensely focused on this mission. We will act quickly against vessels attempting to breach the blockade. Our forces are highly trained, professional and lethal.”

CENTCOM urged mariners operating in the Gulf of Oman and at the entrances to the Strait of Hormuz to monitor Notices to Mariners and communicate bridge-to-bridge with U.S. naval forces on Channel 16.