The U.S. Central Command stated on Monday it had forced 27 vessels to change course since the start of a naval blockade targeting Iranian ports, as tensions escalated around the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.
The statement did not specify the nationalities of the ships or where they had been redirected.
The developments come amid a widening war of words between global leaders over the situation in the Gulf.
French President Emmanuel Macron said the positions taken by both Washington and Tehran regarding the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz were “wrong on both sides,” signaling concern among European powers about further escalation in a waterway that handles a significant share of global oil shipments.
U.S. President Donald Trump struck a more confrontational tone, saying Iran “has nothing” and lacks negotiating leverage, according to the same media reports.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said deep mistrust toward the United States remained entrenched in Iran, underscoring the long-standing tensions between the two countries.
The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow passage between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, is one of the world’s most critical oil transit chokepoints, and any disruption there is closely watched by global energy markets and shipping companies.
There was no immediate independent confirmation of the reported ship diversions, and further details on the scope or enforcement of the blockade were not available.
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