US Central Command forces intensified their maritime blockade against Iran on Monday, redirecting nearly one hundred commercial vessels and boarding multiple ships in the Arabian Sea. CENTCOM confirmed that ninety-four vessels had been redirected, three disabled, and two boarded to ensure full compliance with the blockade.

The announcement was accompanied by images of night carrier strike group operations, including an E/A-18G aircraft launching from the USS George H.W. Bush during enforcement missions.

Iran responded with sharp warnings. Mohsen Rezaei, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, declared that Tehran had fundamentally recalibrated its operational posture toward US warships and bases.

He threatened to impose a maritime exclusion zone across the Persian Gulf in retaliation for American sanctions. Rezaei emphasised that recent Iranian missile tests were a direct warning to Washington, stating that economic warfare would be met with exclusionary measures extending from the blockade perimeter into the Gulf.

In an interview with Iranian state broadcaster IRIB, Rezaei linked Iran’s position on the Strait of Hormuz to Washington’s military posture. He asserted that Iran would keep the strategic waterway open only if the United States ceased threatening or attacking the Islamic Republic.

He further revealed plans for a restricted maritime area outside the Strait of Hormuz, extending into parts of the Persian Gulf, where ships entering would face sanctions.

Tensions escalated further when the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force claimed responsibility for firing several ballistic missiles at a US aircraft carrier and a destroyer. The IRGC alleged that the two warships were harassing Iranian vessels and participating in the blockade. 

According to Iranian state media, both US Navy vessels sustained damage and withdrew from the conflict zone to avoid further attacks.

This followed CENTCOM’s announcement that its forces had struck three Iranian crude oil carriers on September 5. The US military stated that the strikes were in response to Iranian ballistic missile attacks against two American warships patrolling regional waters. CENTCOM reported that a US aircraft carrier and a guided-missile destroyer successfully evaded multiple unprovoked Iranian attacks, with no American personnel harmed.

The developments underscore the growing volatility surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery for global energy trade.

The waterway has become a focal point of confrontation between Washington and Tehran, with both sides escalating military actions and threats.

The blockade and Iran’s retaliatory measures highlight the risk of further disruption to international shipping and energy supplies amid the intensifying conflict in West Asia.

ANI