US redirects 109 commercial vessels as Iran blockade tightens around Strait of Hormuz

US forces have redirected 109 commercial vessels as part of Washington’s enforcement of its maritime blockade against Iran, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said, underscoring the growing disruption to shipping around the Strait of Hormuz as tensions between Washington and Tehran escalate.

CENTCOM said on Sunday that the vessels had been redirected to ensure “total compliance” with the blockade, which prevents commercial ships from entering or leaving Iranian ports without authorisation.

The latest figure marks a further increase in US enforcement activity. CENTCOM had said on September 12 that 100 commercial vessels had been redirected during the previous 60 days after Washington reinstated what it calls its “steel wall” blockade against Iran on July 14.

109 ships redirected

CENTCOM announced the updated figure while releasing an image of a US sailor standing watch aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS John Paul Jones.

The blockade is being enforced by US naval forces operating in and around the Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman and Strait of Hormuz, with commercial vessels approaching Iranian ports subject to interception or instructions to alter course.

Washington says the operation is intended to prevent prohibited maritime trade with Iran while maintaining passage for other commercial shipping through the strategically important waterway.

The US military has also maintained naval deployments in the region to protect shipping amid repeated maritime confrontations with Iranian forces.

Hormuz traffic hit

The Strait of Hormuz has become one of the central fronts in the continuing US-Iran confrontation. Shipping traffic through the waterway has fallen sharply from levels recorded before the conflict began earlier this year.

Before hostilities erupted on February 28, around 125 vessels crossed the strait each day. Recent shipping data have shown commodity-vessel movements falling well below those levels as security risks, military operations and restrictions imposed by both Washington and Tehran disrupt maritime traffic.

The waterway is particularly important because roughly a fifth of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas supplies normally pass through it.

The US blockade has also severely curtailed Iranian oil exports since its reinstatement in July, adding to pressure on Tehran’s economy.

Iran imposes own restrictions

The American blockade operates alongside restrictions imposed by Iran on vessels seeking passage through the Strait of Hormuz, creating competing controls over one of the world’s most important maritime corridors.

Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority recently published an updated list of 77 vessels it accused of violating its protocols, warning that listed ships could face fines, detention or confiscation.

Tehran has also warned insurers, classification societies and other maritime service providers against assisting vessels that it considers to be violating its rules.

The US, meanwhile, has advised American-flagged commercial ships to coordinate closely with US naval authorities while transiting the region and to avoid following instructions from Iranian forces to divert unless necessary for immediate safety.

Tensions rise again

The latest CENTCOM announcement comes as US-Iran tensions again intensify. President Donald Trump said over the weekend that he was in a “deciding mode” over Iran and was weighing further military action, continued economic pressure or a possible diplomatic agreement.

Trump has also said he is open to meeting Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian during the UN General Assembly in New York.

Iran, however, has warned that any fresh US attack would bring a “painful” response against American bases and interests in the region.

Against that backdrop, the redirection of 109 commercial vessels illustrates how the confrontation is extending beyond military exchanges and increasingly affecting international shipping, energy flows and trade through the Strait of Hormuz.