US Central Command says 30 ships cleared through Iran blockade, two boarded

BAGHDAD, Iraq — US Central Command said it has cleared roughly 30 commercial vessels through an Iranian blockade, conducted approaches on two ships and boarded another two for searches. In a social media post, the command said the US military had allowed approximately 30 humanitarian cargo ships to transit the blockade. Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps had earlier said it had intercepted two tankers attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz with US Air Force support, according to the earlier statement. The narrow waterway connects the Persian Gulf to the Indian Ocean and carries about one-fifth of global oil and key commercial goods traffic. The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the most sensitive points in US-Iran efforts to end their war. Washington has demanded freedom of navigation in the strait, while Tehran has insisted on a mechanism regulating ship movements through the strategic passage. The two countries signed a memorandum on June 18, 2026, calling for a halt to military operations and the launch of broader negotiations. US President Donald Trump declared the interim arrangement over in July after three ships were targeted in the Strait of Hormuz. No further details on the latest transits were immediately available.