US says 135 ships turned back as Iran naval blockade tightens

The United States has tightened its naval blockade of Iranian ports, turning back 135 vessels over the past three months and disabling four commercial ships, according to figures released by the US military.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) also claimed that American forces destroyed 10 oil tankers linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) during the same period, signalling an intensification of efforts to restrict maritime traffic connected to Iran.

The latest reported operation took place on Sunday, October 11, in the Gulf of Oman, where a US fighter aircraft struck a commercial vessel sailing under the Panamanian flag.

According to CENTCOM, the vessel, identified as the MV Ocean Mollieka, also known as Erika Sun, was targeted with precision-guided munitions after allegedly attempting to breach the blockade.

The US military said the strike disabled the ship’s engine and propulsion system, preventing it from continuing its journey. No crew members were injured in the incident, according to the American account.

CENTCOM said the vessel had previously departed from an Iranian port and had ignored repeated warnings from US forces before attempting to pass through the restricted area.

The military presented the incident as part of its ongoing efforts to enforce restrictions on shipping linked to Iranian ports and prevent vessels from violating the blockade.

The figures released by CENTCOM indicate the scale of the maritime restrictions imposed over the past three months. The reported diversion of 135 vessels suggests that the blockade has significantly affected commercial shipping movements involving Iranian ports.

However, the military’s statement did not provide individual details about the four commercial vessels it said had been disabled or identify each of the 10 oil tankers it claimed to have destroyed. The circumstances surrounding those operations were not separately detailed in the report.

The latest strike also highlights the risks facing commercial vessels operating in the Gulf of Oman, a strategically important waterway connecting the Arabian Sea with the wider Gulf region.

The area is critical to international energy transportation, with disruptions to shipping potentially affecting oil supplies, freight costs and regional trade.

With US forces continuing to enforce the restrictions, uncertainty remains over how long the blockade will continue and how commercial shipping operators will respond to the heightened maritime risks.

The reported figures and details of the latest strike are based on CENTCOM’s account, and independent verification of the military’s claims was not provided in the source report.