US Navy redirects four more ships as Iran oil blockade intensifies

US Central Command (CENTCOM) redirected four additional Iran-linked vessels on Wednesday, 12 August, as the American military intensifies its "Steel Wall" naval blockade. The latest interdictions bring the total number of restricted vessels to 59 commercial ships, while three remain "disabled" and two have been boarded by American forces since the operation intensified. Increasingly Forceful Enforcement The blockade, which was reimposed in mid-July 2026 following the collapse of a short-lived ceasefire, has transitioned from verbal warnings to kinetic actions. On Tuesday, 11 August, a US Navy MH-60 helicopter fired two Hellfire missiles at the Panama-flagged cargo ship Vela Nova in the Gulf of Oman. CENTCOM confirmed the strike targeted the vessel’s engine room, disabling its propulsion after the ship reportedly ignored repeated orders to halt. The Pentagon maintains that these measures are necessary to prevent Tehran from using maritime trade, specifically oil exports, to fund regional military activity. Status of the Strait of Hormuz Despite the tightening restrictions on Iranian ports, US President Donald Trump and CENTCOM officials insist the Strait of Hormuz remains "open"…