Key facts
- The US military has begun disabling and redirecting vessels that violate its renewed blockade of Iranian ports.
- US Central Command disabled the oil tanker Belma while it was transiting international waters toward Kharg Island.
- The US has framed its actions as degrading Iran's ability to attack commercial shipping.
- Iran views transits on non-Iranian controlled routes as violations of the 18 June agreement.
The US military has begun disabling and redirecting vessels that violate its renewed blockade of Iranian ports, following the breakdown of a four-week-old ceasefire agreement between the countries. US Central Command (Centcom) said it disabled the empty Curacao-flagged oil tanker Belma while it was transiting international waters toward Kharg Island on July 15, stating the vessel ignored multiple warnings.
In the first 24 hours of enforcing the renewed blockade, Centcom also redirected two compliant commercial vessels. Prior to the US and Iran signing an agreement on June 18, US forces had imposed a naval blockade from the Gulf of Oman and a northern section of the Arabian Sea, preventing ships from reaching Iranian ports. During this initial blockade, from April 13 to June 18, the US Navy redirected 140 ships and disabled nine vessels. However, enforcement activity was uneven, and Iranian crude loading activity continued.
The US reimposed its blockade on Tuesday following the breakdown of a truce reached last month with Iran, which included the restart of Iranian attacks on commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Centcom stated that the US military actions are intended to degrade Iran's ability to attack commercial shipping, while Iran has been targeting civilians. Centcom noted that Iran has intentionally targeted civilians across the region, resulting in civilian crew members being killed, missing, or injured.
US enforcement of its original blockade also resulted in mariner casualties. In June, the US attacked the tanker Settebello, leading to the deaths of three Indian crew members, an action condemned by the International Maritime Organization and the Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The US continues 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. Iran views transits on non-Iranian controlled routes as violations of the June 18 agreement and a challenge to its control over the waterway.