US CENTCOM SAYS IT REDIRECTED 125 VESSELS IN IRAN BLOCKADE

US Central Command said on Wednesday that its forces have redirected 125 commercial vessels while enforcing a US naval blockade against Iranian ports. In a post on X, CENTCOM said the redirections were carried out 'to ensure strict compliance', with the total confirmed as of 30 September. The command released an image of the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), which it said is sailing in the Arabian Sea in support of the blockade. CENTCOM did not detail what action, if any, was taken against non-compliant vessels, or when the 125 redirections occurred.

Separately, medicine prices in Iran are reported to be rising sharply, with some treatments becoming hard to find as the blockade and increased US sanctions squeeze the country's pharmaceuticals industry. Patients and their families are said to be searching for alternative sources of medication as shortages spread. The blockade forms part of a wider US sanctions campaign against Iran. The reports reviewed do not specify when the naval blockade began or set out its full scope. It is not stated whether the redirected vessels were carrying medical supplies, and no Iranian government response is included in the material reviewed.

CENTCOM's statement indicates that naval enforcement is continuing, with the deployment of the USS George H.W. Bush pointing to a sustained US military presence in the region. The vessel count is likely to be updated further as enforcement continues. CENTCOM gave no indication of when the operation might be scaled back. For Iran, the reported medicine shortages point to a humanitarian dimension of the wider sanctions and blockade campaign. Neither CENTCOM nor the other sources cited give a timeframe for any review or lifting of the blockade.