US says Strait of Hormuz open as 30 ships rerouted in Iran blockade
CENTCOM touts open Hormuz corridor while tightening Iran port blockade
The US military said it has redirected 30 commercial vessels since the start of its blockade of Iranian ports, while maintaining that the Strait of Hormuz remains open to international shipping.
In an update posted on X on Friday, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said that, as of July 31, its forces had:
Redirected 30 commercial vessels
Disabled two vessels
Boarded two ships to ensure compliance with the blockade
Allowed nearly 30 humanitarian aid ships to pass through
The update accompanied an image of a US Navy MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter preparing for flight aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS Michael Murphy as it operated in regional waters.
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Strait of Hormuz remains open, says CENTCOM
In a separate post, CENTCOM rejected Iran's repeated claims that it had closed the Strait of Hormuz.
"Once again, the Iranian government claims it has closed the Strait of Hormuz. This is FALSE," the command said.
CENTCOM said the strategic waterway remains open for commercial vessel transit, adding that Iran does not control the international shipping lane.
"Thousands of ships have sailed through the international waterway over the past four months," the US military said.
The Strait of Hormuz is a critical global energy corridor through which a significant share of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas exports passes.
