US forces redirect 103 commercial vessels amid blockade against Iran: CENTCOM
FLORIDA: United States forces have redirected 103 commercial vessels as part of an ongoing blockade against Iran to ensure compliance with trade restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz, US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Tuesday.
In a post on social media platform X, CENTCOM shared footage of a US Navy helicopter operating from the USS Rafael Peralta in the Arabian Sea, confirming the vessels had been redirected as of September 15.
CENTCOM said, "An MH-60 Sea Hawk helicopter lifts off from the flight deck of USS Rafael Peralta (DDG 115) as the ship enforces the US blockade against Iran in the Arabian Sea. As of Sept. 15, US forces have redirected 103 commercial vessels to ensure compliance."
The enforcement operations come as the conflict with Iran in West Asia has cost the US Department of Defense approximately 38 billion US dollars as of August 1, 2026. According to a report by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), a nonpartisan agency that provides economic analysis for the US Congress, titled "Estimating the Cost of Combat Operations Against Iran", monthly expenditure could rise to 3 billion US dollars if fighting intensity increases to levels recorded in July.
The developments follow a private meeting in Germany last week where top military commanders from the United States, Israel, and seven Arab nations convened to deliberate on the war and wider security escalations across the Middle East, as reported by Axios citing two Israeli officials.
Organised by CENTCOM chief Admiral Brad Cooper, the gathering was unannounced by any participating government and marked the inaugural summit of its kind since the United States and Israel entered a state of war with Iran over six months ago.
During the proceedings, Admiral Cooper offered assurances to participating commanders that the US military has no plans to withdraw its forces from the region despite continuous Iranian attacks against American bases. He also briefed delegates regarding strategies to augment maritime traffic passing through the Strait of Hormuz, while Israel Defence Forces Chief of Staff General Eyal Zamir presented an update concerning Israeli military operations across multiple fronts.
On the diplomatic front, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi will visit China on September 16 for talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, according to China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In a statement on X, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said, "Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iran Seyyed Abbas Araghchi will visit China on September 16. Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi will hold talks with him."
The diplomatic talks in Beijing take place ahead of an expected visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to the United States on September 24, where he is scheduled to hold discussions with US President Donald Trump.
By RSS/ANI
