US forces redirect 103 commercial vessels amid blockade against Iran: CENTCOM

Florida [US], September 16 (ANI): The US Central Command (CENTCOM) on Tuesday (local time) said that its forces have, to date, redirected 103 commercial vessels as part of its blockade against Iran, ensuring compliance with trade restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz. 
In a post on X, CENTCOM said that the vessels had been redirected as of September 15, while sharing footage of a US Navy helicopter operating from USS Rafael Peralta in the Arabian Sea.

An MH-60 Sea Hawk helicopter lifts off from the flight deck of USS Rafael Peralta (DDG 115) as the ship enforces the U.S. blockade against Iran in the Arabian Sea. As of Sept. 15, U.S. forces have redirected 103 commercial vessels to ensure compliance. pic.twitter.com/1Ey58526Sa

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) September 15, 2026

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 U.S. blockade against Iran in the Arabian Sea. As of Sept. 15, U.S. forces have redirected 103 commercial vessels to ensure compliance."
The naval blockade continues as the ongoing US conflict with Iran in West Asia has cost the US Department of Defense (DoD) approximately USD 38 billion as of August 1, 2026, according to a recent report on the war by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), which said the monthly cost could rise to USD 3 billion if the intensity of fighting increases to levels seen in July.
The CBO, a nonpartisan agency that provides budget and economic analysis for the US Congress, released its assessment in a report titled "Estimating the Cost of Combat Operations Against Iran".
The development also comes as top military commanders from the United States, Israel, and seven Arab nations convened for a private meeting in Germany last week to deliberate on the ongoing war with Iran and broader security escalations across the Middle East, as detailed in a report by Axios, which cited two Israeli officials.
Organised by United States Central Command chief Adm. Brad Cooper, the high-level gathering remained unannounced by any of the participating governments. It marked the inaugural summit of its kind since the United States and Israel entered a state of war with Iran more than six months ago.
During the proceedings, Adm. Brad Cooper reportedly offered assurances to the commanders, stating that the US military had no plans to pull its forces out of the region despite continuous Iranian attacks targeting American bases, according to Axios.
Furthermore, he briefed the assembled delegates regarding Washington's strategies to augment maritime traffic moving through the Strait of Hormuz. Concurrently, Israel Defence Forces Chief of Staff Gen Eyal Zamir delivered a comprehensive update concerning ongoing Israeli military operations spanning multiple fronts.
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi will visit China on September 16 and hold talks with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Tuesday, as Beijing also prepares for President Xi Jinping's expected visit to the United States.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry, in a statement on X, 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 visit comes ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping's expected visit to the United States on September 24, where he will hold talks with US President Donald Trump. (ANI)