U.S. Tells Ships to Avoid Strait of Hormuz – As the White House continues to insist that U.S. naval forces control the Strait of Hormuz, the U.S. military is warning commercial ships to avoid unnecessary voyages through the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman. The October 28 advisory was made in the wake of intensifying Iranian strikes on commercial shipping in the run-up to the November 3 midterm elections, with Tehran calculating that worsening conditions in the Strait will hurt the president’s chances of securing Republican control of Congress.
Strikes against commercial shipping in the strait reached their highest levels since the war began in February, and Washington is preparing for potential additional strikes against Iran in the coming weeks.
Iran’s Drones That Russia Is Using. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Iran F-14 Tomcat Fighter. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
According to Bloomberg, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) issued the warning via the Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC) and advised shipping companies to reconsider journeys through the region unless they are necessary.
The same announcement also warned that vessels continuing to operate in the region could be subject to inspections by American military personnel who are enforcing the blockade of Iranian ports.
U.S. Navy Issues Shipping Warning
In the advisory, the U.S. military said vessels without a specific reason to travel through the Strait of Hormuz or Gulf of Oman should avoid the area. However, the likelihood of ships operating in the region unnecessarily is already low. NAVCENT warned that ships moving through the waterway should expect longer journeys because of increased traffic and ongoing U.S. military operations. Neutral commercial vessels traveling between neutral ports, meaning non-Iran-linked shipping, could still be stopped and inspected to ensure they comply with the conditions of the American blockade.
Inspections may involve vessels transporting commercial cargo, or even traveling without cargo, regardless of their nationality or owner. The advisory said crews should also maintain radio contact on VHF Channel 16 and be prepared to stop or change course if instructed.
Naval Blockade Remains In Effect
The United States first imposed the naval blockade against Iranian ports on April 13 after negotiations aimed at ending the war broke down. The operation aims to prevent commercial vessels from entering and leaving Iranian ports, cutting off Tehran’s ability to export oil and generate revenue. The blockade remained in effect until June 18, when Washington and Tehran signed the 60-day memorandum of understanding intended to pause hostilities and allow negotiations over a longer-term peace deal to proceed.
The agreement quickly collapsed, however, after Iran continued strikes against commercial shipping, though Tehran insisted that the United States had also broken the terms of the deal. President Trump ordered the blockade to be reinstated in July. The operation has continued since then, with U.S. naval forces intercepting ships suspected of violating the restrictions. It has successfully prevented Iran from exporting oil, and analysts expect that, with Iran’s floating oil stockpiles outside of the strait now depleted, revenues could end completely by the end of this year.
On October 5, U.S. Central Command announced that U.S. forces had redirected 130 commercial vessels since reimposing the blockade. The military also reported disabling three vessels that had refused to comply, and destroying 13 ships that were accused of violating restrictions or operating as part of Iran’s shadow oil export network.
The blockade is hurting the Iranian economy as intended, but remains a major obstacle in negotiations between Washington and Tehran. The regime insists that the United States must lift the restrictions before a deal can be made, but Washington refuses to lift the blockade until Iran makes concessions of its own.
Iran Attacks Reach Record High
Commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has become far more dangerous in recent weeks, following a period of increased traffic through the waterway facilitated by U.S.-protected convoys.
Figures compiled by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy show 28 confirmed and reported attacks in October alone, bringing the total since February 28 to 113. The International Maritime Organization has also recorded 120 incidents in the Strait of Hormuz and the wider Middle East region since the conflict started.
Those attacks have damaged a significant number of oil tankers, with more than 30 very large crude carriers (VLCCs) sustaining damage throughout the conflict. That amounts to over 3% of the global supertanker fleet.
The attacks are also affecting shipping traffic, with Lloyd’s List Intelligence recording 104 non-Iranian-linked vessels transiting between October 5 and 11 — down about 17% from the previous week.
The figures prove that Iran is still capable of disrupting commercial shipping traffic despite months of U.S. naval operations throughout the region — and there’s no end to the strikes in sight.
About the Author: Jack Buckby
Jack Buckby is a British researcher and analyst specializing in defense and national security, based in New York. His work focuses on military capability, procurement, and strategic competition, and he produces and edits analysis for policy and defense audiences. He brings extensive editorial experience, with a career output spanning over 1,000 articles at National Security Journal, and has previously authored books and papers on extremism and deradicalization.
