The US military has begun redirecting vessels that violate its renewed blockade of Iranian ports following the breakdown of a four-week-old ceasefire agreement between the countries.
"Since restarting the naval blockade against Iranian ports 17 hours ago, US forces have redirected two commercial vessels attempting to run the blockade," the US Central Command (Centcom), which oversees US forces in the Middle East, said on social media at 9:20am ET (13:20 GMT) Wednesday. "The US military remains vigilant and prepared to ensure full compliance."
Prior to the US and Iran signing of the agreement on 18 June, Centcom forces imposed a naval blockade from the Gulf of Oman and a northern section of the Arabian sea, preventing ships from reaching Iranian ports and turning vessels back toward Iran's coast. The US Navy redirected 140 ships and disabled nine vessels from 13 April to 18 June as part of this initial blockade.
But enforcement activity during the first US blockade was uneven. While the blockade did impede Iranian exports, Iranian crude loading activity continued with ballast vessels able to make it through the blockade.
US, Iranian actions endanger mariners
The US reimposed its blockade on Iranian ports following the breakdown of the shaky truce it reached last month with Iran and the restart of Iranian attacks on commercial vessels transiting the strait of Hormuz.
The US has framed its latest military actions as intended to degrade Iran's ability to attack commercial shipping in the strait of Hormuz while Iran "targets innocent civilians transiting the strait and in neighboring Gulf countries", Centcom said Wednesday on social media.
"Iran has intentionally targeted civilians across the region by attacking seven commercial ships resulting in nearly a dozen civilian crew members killed, missing or injured," Centcom said. "US forces are holding Iran accountable for unwarranted aggression that continues to endanger innocent lives."
Yet, US enforcement of its original blockade on Iranian ports also resulted in mariner casualties. In June, the US attacked the tanker Settebello, which resulted in the deaths of three Indian crew members, an action condemned by the International Maritime Organization and the Indian Ministry of Foreign affairs.
The US has continued to encourage vessels to transit the strait via the southern route along Oman's coastline, a path that Iran has been targeting, increasing risks to mariners.
"US-assisted commercial transits continued despite the elevated threat environment," the UK Trade Maritime Information Center wrote in a 14 July advisory note. Iran views transits on non-Iranian controlled routes as violations of the 18 June agreement and as a challenge to its control over the waterway.
