CENTCOM says more than $13 billion in Iranian oil revenue blocked
The US military said its ongoing blockade operations have redirected dozens of vessels and prevented millions of barrels of Iranian oil from reaching global markets.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on X that more than $13 billion in Iranian oil revenue has been blocked as part of an ongoing US-led maritime blockade targeting Iranian ports and oil transportation routes across the Middle East.
In a detailed operational overview published by CENTCOM on Friday, the US military said the blockade remains “fully in effect,” stressing that no ships are permitted to enter or leave Iranian ports under the current enforcement measures.
According to the statement, the operation is being implemented across the Middle East and beyond through a large-scale military deployment involving more than 15,000 troops, over 200 aircraft, and more than 20 warships.
CENTCOM said more than 50 vessels have been redirected in order to enforce compliance with the blockade measures.
The command added that 73 oil tankers had been prevented from transporting an estimated 166 million barrels of Iranian oil, claiming the measures have deprived Iran’s leadership of more than $13 billion in revenue.
The military assets involved in the operation reportedly include aircraft carriers, amphibious assault ships, amphibious transport dock ships, dock landing ships, guided-missile destroyers, and littoral combat ships.
CENTCOM also said intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance aircraft, fighter jets, drones, refueling aircraft, and helicopters are participating in the mission.
In a separate statement published later on X, CENTCOM announced that US forces had disabled two additional Iranian-flagged tankers accused of violating the blockade in the Gulf of Oman.
According to the statement, US forces on May 8 disabled the tankers Sea Star III and Sevda before they entered an Iranian port on the Gulf of Oman.
CENTCOM said the two empty oil tankers were attempting to dock at an Iranian port in violation of the ongoing blockade measures.
The statement added that a US Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet launched from the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) disabled the vessels after firing precision munitions targeting the ships’ smokestacks, preventing them from entering Iran.
The command also revealed that on May 6, US forces disabled another Iranian-flagged tanker, Hasna, while it was sailing toward an Iranian port in the Gulf of Oman.
According to CENTCOM, an F/A-18 Super Hornet launched from the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) disabled the empty tanker’s rudder using multiple rounds from a 20mm cannon.
CENTCOM stated that none of the three vessels were able to continue their journey toward Iran following the operations.
Commenting on the operations, CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper said US forces in the Middle East remain committed to the “full enforcement” of the blockade on ships entering or leaving Iran.
“Our highly trained servicemen and servicewomen are doing extraordinary work,” Cooper said in the statement.
CENTCOM added that US forces have disabled several commercial vessels and redirected more than 50 others in order to ensure compliance with the blockade instructions.
The latest escalation comes amid continuing tensions surrounding US military operations and maritime restrictions targeting Iran’s oil exports and regional shipping routes.