According to a U.S. Central Command notice, the U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Rafael Peralta is carrying out a maritime blockade mission against Iranian ports in regional waters. As of October 17, U.S. forces had requested 138 commercial vessels to reroute in order to ensure strict enforcement of the blockade.
As of August 24, US Central Command has ordered 71 commercial vessels to change course, disabled 3 vessels, and boarded 2 vessels for inspection to ensure the enforcement of the maritime blockade against Iran.
US Central Command says that as of September 20 it has rerouted 109 merchant ships to fully enforce the blockade order against Iran; the command's General Cooper also said that over the past few months it has helped more than 2000 merchant ships pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps captured an American Dive LD unmanned underwater vehicle belonging to Anduril Industries at the entrance of the Strait of Hormuz and released footage of the event. US Central Command stated that the UAV had malfunctioned more than a day before it was found, is an older model, and did not carry classified sonar or radar equipment. Experts analyze that Iran may understand US technological pathways through reverse engineering.
The U.S. Central Command said that in the past few months it has helped more than 2,000 merchant vessels pass through the Strait of Hormuz and has prevented Iran from exporting oil. As of September 20, it has rerouted 109 merchant vessels to ensure compliance with the blockade order.
US Central Command said US forces struck an Iranian command center, air defense facilities, missile and drone capabilities, and coastal surveillance facilities, including targets near the port of Bandar Abbas.
US Central Command announced that aircraft launched from the US aircraft carrier Lincoln opened fire on the Iranian-flagged oil tanker MT Hashna in international waters in the Gulf of Oman as it attempted to break the naval blockade, forcing it unable to sail toward an Iranian port.