WASHINGTON: US forces have redirected 101 commercial ships as part of efforts to enforce a blockade against Iran, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Sunday, as tensions continue to mount in the region.
According to CENTCOM, the ships were redirected to ensure compliance with the US blockade. The figure was recorded as of September 13, although the command did not provide further details about the identities, routes or destinations of the ships.
CENTCOM also released footage showing a US sailor signalling to the pilot of an MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter on the flight deck of the USS John Paul Jones, a guided-missile destroyer involved in operations to enforce the blockade.
U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) tweets: "…As of Sept. 13, U.S. forces have redirected 101 commercial vessels to ensure compliance." pic.twitter.com/MsQNvP7LKY
— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) September 14, 2026
READ ALSO: US Navy Redirects 86 Commercial Ships Under Iran Blockade: CENTCOM
The deployment comes amid heightened tensions in the region, where disruptions to commercial maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz have raised concerns over the security of one of the world’s most important shipping routes.
The Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Arabian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, is a critical transit route for global energy supplies and international trade.
The reported redirection of commercial ships marks a significant escalation in US maritime enforcement measures and could further affect commercial shipping operating in and around the Gulf.
The US-Iran war has turned the Strait of Hormuz into a major military and geopolitical flashpoint. Diplomatic efforts to ease tensions remain stalled, leaving the Strait at the centre of a wider regional and global crisis.
