The U.S. Navy has redirected 58 commercial vessels and disabled 4 Iranian tankers since launching a blockade in the Strait of Hormuz last month.
U.S. Central Command provided an update on Saturday as the war with Iran remains unresolved.
Recommended Stories
“The U.S. Naval blockade against Iran continues be to fully enforced,” the command center posted on X. “As of today, CENTCOM forces have redirected 58 commercial vessels and disabled 4 since April 13 to prevent the ships from entering or leaving Iranian ports.”
Tensions between the United States and Iran remain high, even as both nations work toward a permanent ceasefire deal. President Donald Trump extended the tentative ceasefire indefinitely to allow room for peace talks, but both sides engaged in naval conflict this week.
Iranian attackers on Thursday targeted three Navy destroyers, which Trump said sustained little to no damage, unlike their Iranian counterparts.
Hours later, Trump boasted about the Navy’s response while urging Iran to sign the ceasefire deal. If the Iranian’s don’t, he warned the outcome would be very bad for them.
“You’re just going to have to look at one big glow coming out of Iran, and they better sign their agreement fast,” the president told reporters without specifying what he meant exactly.
“Just like we knocked them out again today, we’ll knock them out a lot harder, and a lot more violently, in the future, if they don’t get their Deal signed, FAST!” he said separately in a Truth Social post.
Trump later threatened to expand Project Freedom, a newly established initiative for the Navy to safely escort commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, if Iran refuses to agree on a deal.
TRUMP THREATENS ‘PROJECT FREEDOM PLUS’ IN STRAIT OF HORMUZ IF IRAN REFUSES DEAL
“We’ll go a different route if everything doesn’t get signed up, buttoned up,” he said on Friday. “We may go back to Project Freedom if things don’t happen, but it’ll be Project Freedom Plus, meaning Project Freedom plus other things.”
Project Freedom was temporarily paused earlier this week shortly after it was announced by Trump. He put Project Freedom on hold at the request of Pakistan, which is mediating peace talks, and other countries to give Iran the space to agree on a deal.
