The United States has diverted 130 merchant ships and destroyed 13 vessels in its ongoing naval blockade of Iran. This was reported by the US Central Command (CENTCOM), which announced that on October 5, US forces stopped the 130th ship in the Middle East region.
According to the command, the blockade against ships trying to enter or leave Iranian ports was resumed on July 14. CENTCOM claims that the 13 merchant ships destroyed were either violating the regime or were connected to a shadowy network that finances the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The statement did not specify the names of the ships, their nationalities, the cargo they were carrying or the details of their crews. It did not specify under what specific circumstances the vessels were destroyed.
Three ships were put out of action
The US command also announced that its forces had put out of action three ships whose crews refused to follow orders. Separately, 130 vessels were diverted, without specifying whether all of them were directed back to their original routes or to other ports.
„The US military remains fully focused on this mission. "We will act swiftly against any ships that attempt to bypass the blockade," said CENTCOM commander Admiral Brad Cooper.
According to data cited by RBC, the US actions are aimed at commercial vessels traveling to or from Iranian ports. The Anadolu Agency also reported that Washington is linking some of the affected vessels to an alleged multi-billion dollar network of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Shipping warning
CENTCOM has urged sailors in the Gulf of Oman and the approaches to the Strait of Hormuz to heed US navigational warnings. Crews are also advised to maintain contact with US naval forces on radio channel 16.
There is currently no independent confirmation of the number of ships destroyed, nor any details from Iranian authorities about the actions indicated by the US. The published data represents the position of the American command on the operation and on the ships that, according to it, violated the blockade or were connected to Iranian structures.
Sources: aa.com.tr, rbc.ru