Screengrab from video released by US Centcom
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) released a fresh footage showing their Navy diverting a merchant vessel in the Gulf of Oman as part of what it described as enforcement of restrictions linked to Iran’s maritime routes.The video, shared on X, shows a sailor aboard the USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112) communicating with the motor vessel Molly, informing its crew that it would be escorted to its next port of call. The sailor can also be heard thanking the vessel for its cooperation.”Audio🔊of a Sailor aboard USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112), with video from the guided-missile destroyer’s embarked helicopter flying over the Gulf of Oman, as the US Navy diverts a merchant vessel while enforcing the blockade on ships entering or departing Iranian ports. US forces are prepared to sustain the blockade as long as it takes,” it said while sharing the video on social media. CENTCOM said US forces remain prepared to sustain the operation for ” as long as it takes”. It added that the deployment involves more than 10,000 personnel, along with multiple naval vessels and aircraft, as part of broader maritime enforcement activity in regional waters.The command also clarified that US forces are not blocking the Strait of Hormuz, despite ongoing tensions in the region and claims of a wider blockade effort.The release comes amid continued geopolitical friction in the Gulf, with shipping activity and naval deployments remaining closely watched.
