Shafaq News- Washington

US forces have diverted 65 commercial vessels since Washington resumed its naval blockade of Iran on July 14, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Wednesday.

The US army disabled three vessels and boarded two others to verify compliance with the blockade.

A U.S. Sailor stands watch in the combat information center aboard guided-missile destroyer USS John Paul Jones (DDG 53) as the ship sails in regional waters enforcing the U.S. blockade against Iran. As of Aug. 19, U.S. forces have redirected 65 commercial vessels, disabled 3 and… pic.twitter.com/NlTWahf1qW

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) August 19, 2026

Shipping through Hormuz remains below pre-war levels, with most shipowners avoiding the waterway, Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing analytics firm Kpler. Six commodity vessels crossed on August 18, down from nine a day earlier and below the 10-day average of 11.