Ankara / Anadolu

The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that it intercepted the movement of 5 commercial ships in the Gulf of Oman, alleging they attempted to breach the naval blockade that the United States re-imposed on Iran.

CENTCOM said in a post on the American company X platform on Thursday evening that the measures came after the re-declaration of the naval blockade on Iran.

It added that U.S. forces redirected 3 commercial ships it said were attempting to 'breach the blockade,' and also 'disabled' another ship for allegedly failing to comply with instructions.

It indicated that its forces boarded a fifth ship to ensure compliance with blockade procedures.

The statement said: 'The Strait of Hormuz and its surrounding waters remain free and open, except for ships attempting to violate the solid American blockade wall.'

U.S. President Donald Trump had announced on July 13 of this year the reactivation of the American naval blockade on Iran in the Strait of Hormuz.

On June 18, 2026, Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding that included a ceasefire, and began negotiations mediated by Pakistan and Qatar to end the war that the United States and Israel launched against Iran on February 28 of the same year.

However, Trump announced on July 8, 2026, the end of the ceasefire against the backdrop of renewed escalation, after Iran attacked, the day before, 3 ships while they were crossing the Strait of Hormuz, alleging non-compliance with the sailing route it had set, to which Washington responded by launching attacks on sites inside Iran.

Washington supports the passage of commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz on a route different from that set by Iran, which Tehran rejects, stressing that it targets any ship that does not coordinate with it before crossing the strategic strait for global energy supplies.