The US Central Command announced that elements of the Marine Corps carried out a boarding and inspection operation tonight on the commercial tanker "Win Yao" while it was passing through the Gulf of Oman, as part of the maritime procedures taken by US forces in the region.

The command's statement explained that US forces have so far diverted three commercial ships that attempted to breach the naval blockade, while disrupting the movement of a fourth ship that did not comply with orders issued to it, stressing that inspection operations continue to ensure full compliance with the imposed procedures.

The statement added that forces also boarded another ship to verify its compliance with the naval blockade currently imposed on Iran, emphasizing that the waters of the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding areas remain free and open to international navigation, except for ships attempting to violate what the command described as the "steel wall of the American blockade."