NEW YORK, September 12. /TASS/. The US military has redirected 100 commercial vessels since Washington resumed its maritime blockade on Iran in July, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement. "CENTCOM forces have redirected 100 commercial vessels over the past 60 days since America resumed the steel wall blockade against Iran," CENTCOM said on the X social network.

The US military remains focused on enforcing the blockade, CENTCOM added. The United States and Israel launched a war against Iran on February 28. In June, Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding envisaging an immediate ceasefire on all fronts, including Lebanon.

However, early on July 8, the United States resumed massive airstrikes on Iran, accusing Tehran of violating their previous agreements regarding the Strait of Hormuz. Approximately 25% of global oil trade and about 20% of liquefied natural gas trade pass through the strait.

Subsequently, the US administration effectively signaled an end to the use of large-scale military force against Iran, shifting instead to an attempt to economically strangle the country through sanctions.

A recent report questions the US administration’s claims of significant degradation of Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities, noting that Tehran has continued launching large-scale salvos at Gulf states, including Jordan, following US-Israeli strikes.

While official statements have asserted that the majority of Iran’s arsenal and launch platforms were destroyed, the sustained frequency of recent missile attacks suggests that Iran retains substantial operational capacity.

Authorities attributed a fire that temporarily halted the East-West pipeline, which transports oil from Abqaiq to Yanbu to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, to a drone attack originating from Iraq. While the Saudi government reported casualties and the Iraqi government dismissed a provincial commander in response, attribution of the attack to specific groups remains a matter of accusation by Riyadh without independent verification.

Yemeni government officials reported on Friday that Iran-backed Houthi forces have captured key Red Sea coastal territories, including Mayyun and the Hanish islands, following a week-long offensive described as resulting in hundreds of casualties. These claims, which indicate the Houthis have taken control of the southern Bab al-Mandab Strait gateway, suggest potential further disruptions to regional shipping lanes, although the specific extent of the takeover remains subject to confirmation.

The situation follows recent Saudi Arabia oil pipeline shutdowns and an ongoing Iranian blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.