US forces have turned back 31 vessels since start of Iran naval blockade, CENTCOM says

WASHINGTON, United States (MNTV) – U.S. forces have directed 31 vessels to turn around or return to port since the start of the naval blockade of Iranian ports, U.S. Central Command announced Thursday, revising upward from the 29 vessels reported the previous day and pushing back against media claims that several commercial ships had successfully evaded the restrictions.

The updated figure follows Sunday’s interception of the Iranian-flagged cargo ship TOUSKA in the northern Arabian Sea, which was disabled by the USS Spruance after its crew refused to comply with warnings over a six-hour period.

The blockade was launched on April 13, following weeks of disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz since the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran began February 28.

CENTCOM specifically rejected reports claiming that three vessels — the M/V Hero II, M/V Hedy and M/V Dorena — had slipped past the blockade and moved millions of barrels of oil. It said the Hero II and Hedy were in fact anchored at Chabahar, Iran, after being intercepted by US forces earlier in the week, while the Dorena remains under escort by a U.S. Navy destroyer in the Indian Ocean following a prior attempt to breach the blockade. Iran did not immediately respond to CENTCOM’s characterization of events.

Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has been severely disrupted since the outbreak of the conflict, rattling global energy markets and raising fears of prolonged economic damage.

A Pakistan-mediated ceasefire remains in place and further talks aimed at permanently ending the conflict are expected.