US says Strait of Hormuz remains open amid blockade
CENTCOM says commercial shipping continues through the strategic waterway as US forces enforce a blockade on Iranian maritime trade.
The US military says the Strait of Hormuz remains open to commercial shipping, despite an ongoing blockade on Iranian maritime trade and continuing tensions with Tehran over control of the strategic waterway.
US Navy Captain Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson for US Central Command, said traffic through the strait “continues to flow”. He said US forces were simultaneously facilitating commercial shipping and enforcing what he described as an effective blockade.
Hawkins claimed US forces had assisted commercial vessels carrying more than 900 million barrels of crude oil through the strait since early May. He also said more than 100 vessels had been redirected for allegedly attempting to breach the blockade.
CENTCOM said mine-clearing operations in internationally recognised primary shipping lanes had been completed several weeks ago. Hawkins said US forces remained present to ensure the lanes stayed clear.
The claims come as the US and Iran make competing assertions about control of the critical route for global energy supplies. The material available does not independently verify the reported shipping volumes, vessel diversions or mine-clearance operations, nor does it establish the precise legal or operational meaning of the blockade.
Hawkins also defended US operations near the strait after reports from local sources and authorities of civilian deaths and damage in Kuhestak, southern Iran. He said US targets were military sites and civilians had not been targeted. He further claimed US operations had significantly degraded Iran’s missile capabilities and “essentially eliminated Iran’s navy”, a statement not independently confirmed in the source material.
