The United States military said on Wednesday that it had redirected two commercial vessels attempting to breach the maritime blockade imposed on Iranian ports and coastal areas, marking the first reported attempts to defy the restrictions.
US Central Command, or CENTCOM, said in a statement posted on X that American forces had intercepted and diverted the ships within hours of the blockade being reinstated.
“Since the resumption of the maritime blockade on Iranian ports 17 hours ago, US forces have redirected two commercial vessels that attempted to breach the blockade,” CENTCOM said.
The command added that US military forces remained on heightened alert and were prepared to ensure full compliance with the blockade.
Washington reinstated the naval restrictions on Tuesday evening, targeting vessels travelling to or departing from Iranian ports. The blockade took effect at the time previously announced by CENTCOM.
The move followed a new round of US airstrikes against Iran that began at around 3 p.m. on Tuesday. According to US officials, the strikes targeted military capabilities linked to operations around the Strait of Hormuz.
The blockade was resumed a day after US President Donald Trump announced that Washington would reimpose the measure and assume responsibility for protecting maritime traffic through the strategic waterway.