U.S. forces use MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopters from USS Boxer to enforce the Iran blockade and monitor commercial shipping near the Strait of Hormuz.

#geonewsenglish #USForces #IranBlockade #BreakingNews #CommercialVessels #StraitOfHormuz #USMilitary #Iran #USIran #ShippingCrisis #MaritimeSecurity #MiddleEast #GulfRegion #IranNews #WorldNews #Lates...

US forces have redirected 70 commercial vessels, disabled three and boarded two since resuming a naval blockade against Iran, US Central Command said, TASS reported on August 23. The tally, up from 67 vessels reported on August 20, points to the widening reach of a blockade that Iranian officials say has halted the country's oil exports, and comes as the Trump administration escalates a parallel campaign of economic pressure that Washington has described as the most intensive ever mounted against Tehran. CENTCOM said the measures were intended to ensure compliance with the blockade, which it resumed on July 14 after the latest round of fighting between Iran and the US. CENTCOM posted an image of the guided-missile destroyer USS John Finn, saying the vessel was actively enforcing the blockade against Iran in the Arabian Sea. The command said US forces had redirected the ships to ensure compliance. The blockade of Iranian ports was reimposed following the recent military clashes between Iran and the US and Israel. Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz after the war began in February, asserting military control over the waterway through which about a fifth of the world's seaborne oil passes. Even under the blockade, Tehran has kept some crude moving. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps developed an informal permits-for-passage system early in the war, charging up to $2mn per tanker for passage through a controlled corridor near Larak Island, with vessels from China, India and other buyers permitted through. Chinese-flagged ships have continued to use the route in recent days despite the US measures. The intensified naval pressure coincides with the Trump administration's announcement of a broad campaign to tighten economic sanctions on Iran, which US officials have cast as an unprecedented effort to maximise pressure on the government in Tehran. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said the blockade and sanctions together amount to a "one-two punch" intended to force Tehran to reopen the strait.

The number of redirected vessels has increased from 55 reported earlier this week...

U.S. forces fired on a Panamanian-flagged ship accused of breaching the American blockade of Iranian ports, disabling it in the Strait of Hormuz and sending oil prices higher.

ISTANBUL, Aug 10 (Bernama-Anadolu) — The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said Sunday that American forces redirected 55 commercial vessels, disabled two and boarded two others as part of strict enforcement of a US blockade against Iran, Anadolu Ajansi reported. CENTCOM said in a post on the US social media platform X that US sailors were standing watch aboard the USS Ross (DDG 71), one of more than 20 US warships deployed to West Asia in support of military missions, including enforcement of the blockade. The command did not provide additional details about the vessels or the circumstances surrounding the actions […]

CAIRO/WASHINGTON/BEIRUT — Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has threatened to close "all other export corridors that benefit the US and its allies", Iranian media reported, after Iran shut the ...

A United States military operation targeted a merchant vessel flying the Gambian flag after it attempted to breach a blockade of Iranian ports, according to US Central Command. The incident occurred amid heightened tensions in the Middle East, where the US has been enforcing restrictions aimed at limiting maritime access to Iranian-controlled areas. Officials reported that the vessel ignored warnings and continued its course toward restricted waters, prompting a decisive response. The US military fired a missile that struck the ship’s engine room, effectively disabling the vessel without immediately sinking it. Authorities indicated that the strike was intended to stop the ship rather than cause widespread casualties, though details about the crew’s condition or any injuries have not been fully disclosed. The action underscores the seriousness with which the US is enforcing the blockade and signals a willingness to use force when vessels attempt to defy restrictions. This development comes as part of a broader geopolitical situation involving Iran, where military posturing and strategic signalling have intensified. US officials have framed the blockade as a necessary measure tied to regional security concerns, while critics argue that such actions risk escalating tensions further and could endanger civilian maritime traffic. The involvement of a Gambian-flagged vessel also raises questions about the role of international shipping and the risks faced by commercial operators navigating contested waters. Shipping companies may now face increased scrutiny and pressure to comply strictly with military directives in the region. Overall, the incident highlights the fragile security environment in the Middle East and the potential for confrontation at sea, particularly as global powers continue to assert influence over key maritime routes.

via The Hill News — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Saturday said the U.S. naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz is “very much still in place,” as President Trump weighs a ceasefire extension with Iran that would unlock the critical energy corridor. Hegseth told NewsNation’s Kellie Meyer that the prolonged closure of the strait “came up relatively often” in…

Meanwhile, USS Nimitz has made a stop in Rio as part of its circumnavigation of South America and repositioning cruise to Norfolk.

via Home - CBSNews.com — President Trump compared the U.S. Navy to pirates, as it enforces the blockade of Iranian ports near the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. also warned shipping companies that they could face penalties for paying tolls to Iran to safely pass through the critical waterway. Ramy Inocencio has more.

US News: US president Donald Trump said on Friday that the US Navy was acting “like pirates” while enforcing Washington’s naval blockade of Iranian ports durin.

via US news | The Guardian — US president says ‘we took over the cargo, took over the oil. It’s a very profitable business’ Middle East crisis – live updates Donald Trump has said the US navy acted “like pirates” as he described an operation seizing a ship amid the tit-for-tat American blockade of Iranian ports. “We … land on top of it and we took over the ship. We took over the cargo, took over the oil. It’s a very profitable business,” said Trump at a rally in Florida on Friday. Continue reading...