CENTCOM says the number of commercial vessels diverted under the Iran blockade has reached 45

US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Tuesday, 4 August 2026 (13 Mordad 1405), that US forces have so far redirected 45 commercial vessels, disabled two and boarded two others while enforcing Washington's maritime blockade against Iran.

The tally CENTCOM reports has been accelerating: diverted vessels rose from 12 on 25 July to 18 on 28 July, 30 on 31 July, 35 on 2 August and 45 on Tuesday, while the totals for disabled and boarded ships have remained at two each. The blockade began at 11 p.m. Baghdad time on 14 July 2026 and covers vessels entering or leaving Iranian ports, oil terminals and coastal areas regardless of flag; neutral ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz to or from non-Iranian destinations are exempt. Under the blockade notice, unauthorised vessels may be intercepted, diverted or captured.

On the same day, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC that Washington and Tehran could finalise a Strait of Hormuz shipping agreement as early as 4 or 5 August, an arrangement he said would guarantee freedom of movement for commercial vessels without Iranian transit fees. Tehran, for its part, maintains that it is negotiating with Oman rather than with the United States. According to Kpler data, six commodity vessels, three tankers and three bulk carriers, crossed the waterway on 3 August, down from seven the previous day; those figures exclude ships operating with their transponders switched off.