U.S. Central Command said American forces have rerouted 68 commercial vessels, disabled three and boarded two others while enforcing a naval blockade against Iran.
CENTCOM said on Saturday that U.S. naval forces were continuing operations to enforce the blockade, with the latest figures showing a further increase in the number of commercial vessels diverted from routes toward Iranian ports.
The command said 68 commercial vessels had been redirected, while three vessels were disabled and two were boarded to verify compliance with the restrictions. CENTCOM has not provided detailed information on the identities of all the vessels involved or the circumstances of each incident.
The latest figures follow a steady increase in U.S. enforcement activity. CENTCOM reported that 62 commercial vessels had been redirected as of August 14, indicating that six additional vessels have since been diverted.
The maritime confrontation is centered on the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding waters, a critical global shipping route. Reuters reported this week that shipping through the strait has fallen sharply as shipowners avoid the waterway amid uncertainty over its status and the lack of a clear agreement on reopening it.
Iran has rejected the U.S. blockade and said continued restrictions on shipping amount to an extension of the conflict. Tehran has maintained that conditions must change before normal navigation through the waterway can fully resume.
The escalation has also disrupted energy markets. Reuters reported that Iranian oil shipments have fallen sharply, while Chinese buyers have increasingly sought alternative supplies as the blockade restricts access to Iranian crude.
Washington and Tehran have yet to reach an agreement to resolve the wider confrontation, leaving the future of commercial navigation through the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz uncertain.
