The Pentagon says no ships ‘made it past’ the United States military blockade in the Strait of Hormuz during the first 24 hours, and six merchant ships followed orders to turn around.
The US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) issued the statement on Tuesday. It was the first update since President Donald Trump announced the blockade after US-Iran talks in Pakistan over the weekend failed to reach an agreement to end the war the US and Israel launched on February 28.
CENTCOM said the blockade applies only to vessels ‘entering and exiting Iranian ports,’ and that other ships remain free to transit the waterway.
It added: ‘US forces are supporting freedom of navigation for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports.’
Reuters reported that at least three vessels transited the strait during the first 24 hours of the blockade, citing shipping data; two were tankers sanctioned by the US. Those three were not heading to Iranian ports, Reuters said.
However, AFP and several US media outlets, citing maritime tracker Kpler, reported that two ships transited the waterway after leaving Iranian ports on Monday.
CENTCOM said about 10,000 US sailors, Marines and airmen are involved in the operation, along with more than a dozen US warships and dozens of aircraft.
Military observers say US forces can maintain the blockade for the foreseeable future, but the continued pressure increases the likelihood of Iranian attacks, which could cause the two-week ceasefire that began on Wednesday to collapse.