Iranian-flagged vessel tries to evade US Navy blockade in Strait of Hormuz

April 15, 2026, by Fatima Bahtić

The US Navy has tightened its maritime blockade on Iran, expanding naval patrols and reinforcing enforcement across key waterways as part of a rapidly escalating standoff in the region.

In its latest update, US Central Command (CENTCOM) revealed that an Iranian-flagged vessel tried to evade the US blockade after leaving Bandar Abbas, exiting the Strait of Hormuz, and transiting along the Iranian coastline.

The guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance (DDG-111) intercepted the ship and successfully redirected it. US officials said the vessel is now heading back toward Iranian waters.

The incident marks the latest in a series of enforcement actions since the blockade. CENTCOM reported that ten vessels have now been turned around, with “zero ships” managing to break through the US naval cordon so far.

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No further details were provided on the cargo vessel or whether additional attempts to evade the blockade are expected.

Earlier on, CENTCOM reported that after implementing the blockade on ships entering and departing Iranian ports, American forces halted economic trade going into and out of Iran by sea.

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CENTCOM has also said that during the first 48 hours of the US blockade on ships entering and exiting Iranian ports, no vessels have made it past US forces. Additionally, nine vessels have complied with the direction from US forces to turn around and return toward an Iranian port or coastal area.

More than 10,000 US personnel, including sailors, marines, and airmen, are participating in Operation Epic Fury, supported by over a dozen warships and dozens of aircraft. The effort spans key waterways surrounding Iran, including the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. US forces began implementing the blockade of all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports on April 13 at 10 a.m. ET.