FLORIDA Sept 2, 2026 – U.S. Central Command reported Wednesday that American naval forces continue to strictly enforce a blockade on maritime traffic to and from Iranian ports. As of September 2, U.S. forces have redirected 86 commercial vessels, disabled three ships, and boarded two others to ensure compliance.
The figures represent a slight increase from the 84 vessels redirected as of September 1. CENTCOM released video footage showing Navy helicopters operating from ship decks, warships underway in regional waters, and commercial tankers transiting nearby seas.
The blockade, reinstated in mid-July after a brief pause tied to a June memorandum of understanding, aims to cut off Iranian oil exports while allowing non-Iranian commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. officials have said Iran has exported no oil since the blockade resumed. More than 20 U.S. warships and hundreds of aircraft, along with about 50,000 American troops in the region, support the operation.
The latest update follows U.S. airstrikes on September 1 against Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps targets in southern Iran. CENTCOM said those strikes hit air defense sites, radar systems, maritime assets, mine-laying capabilities, and communications infrastructure after IRGC attempts to attack commercial shipping and U.S. forces. Iran reported civilian casualties, including deaths at a wedding gathering, and launched retaliatory missiles and drones at U.S. positions in Jordan, Bahrain, Iraq, and Kuwait.
The United States first imposed the blockade in April 2026 amid the broader conflict that began in late February. It was lifted in June under the short-lived agreement but reinstated after renewed Iranian actions against shipping. CENTCOM has previously allowed some humanitarian vessels to pass.
U.S. officials describe the operation as a “wall of steel” intended to pressure Iran economically without fully closing the vital oil waterway. Iran maintains it controls the strait and has accused the United States of aggression. Shipping volumes through Hormuz remain far below pre-conflict levels of more than 120 vessels per day.
CENTCOM advised mariners to monitor notices and contact U.S. naval forces on channel 16 when operating near the Gulf of Oman and Strait of Hormuz approaches. The command stated forces remain “vigilant, lethal, and ready.”
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