US blockade reaches 96 vessels redirected as Iran announces restricted zone

Sep 11, 2026 7 min read Share on LinkedIn
US blockade reaches 96 vessels redirected as Iran announces restricted zone
1:06


Updated Friday, September 11 - 8:50 AM CT

Strait of Hormuz

US blockade intensifies

US Central Command reported redirecting 96 commercial vessels and destroying five Iranian crude carriers as of Sep 10, with Iran responding by attacking US unmanned vessels in the Strait and announcing plans for a restricted zone extending from Chabahar into the Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea.

Bab al-Mandeb

Houthis control Red Sea coast

Houthi forces seized Mocha and now control Yemen's entire Red Sea coastline as of Sep 11, expanding their grip over the Bab al-Mandeb strait and prompting Saudi air strikes on the city's port and airport.

Diplomatic track

Qatar pushes for talks

Qatar told CNN on Sep 7 that opening the Strait of Hormuz is a priority as the world faces an industrial catastrophe if the crisis continues, with Doha working with China and regional partners to resume US-Iran negotiations.

This week: September 6-11

The US naval blockade of Iranian ports has escalated sharply this week, with Central Command reporting 96 commercial vessels redirected and five Iranian crude carriers destroyed as of Sep 10. Iran responded by attacking US unmanned vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and announcing plans for a restricted zone extending from Chabahar into the Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea, with vessels passing through the area to be sanctioned.

Separately, Houthi forces seized the Red Sea port city of Mocha on Sep 11, giving the group control of Yemen's entire Red Sea coastline and expanding their leverage over the Bab al-Mandeb strait. Saudi Arabia responded with air strikes on Mocha's port and airport, while Yemeni officials warned that Iran is seeking to give the Houthis the ability to exert influence on both Bab al-Mandeb and the Red Sea.

Qatar told CNN on Sep 7 that opening the Strait of Hormuz is a priority as the world faces an industrial catastrophe if the crisis continues, with Doha working with China and regional partners to resume US-Iran negotiations. President Trump said on Sep 9 that Washington is not looking for a deal with Tehran but that negotiations could happen.

This week's updates

  • Sep 6 US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Washington is strangling Iran's economy to force a policy change or new government, with the US military's biggest role being to stop Iranian energy exports.
  • Sep 6 Iran's security chief said Tehran and Oman had agreed on a new international shipping corridor and that Iran would soon announce a restricted zone outside the Strait of Hormuz.
  • Sep 7 Qatar's Foreign Ministry said opening the Strait of Hormuz is a priority as the world faces an industrial catastrophe if the crisis continues, with Qatar mediating between Washington and Tehran.
  • FLASHSep 8 US Central Command destroyed five Iranian crude oil carriers after Iran's Revolutionary Guard targeted a US Navy warship with ballistic missiles twice over the past two days.
  • FLASHSep 9 Iran announced plans for a restricted area extending from Chabahar into the Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea, with any ship passing through the area to be sanctioned.
  • Sep 10 US Central Command reported redirecting 96 commercial vessels and allowing more than 50 vessels supporting humanitarian aid to pass as part of its campaign to blockade Iran.
  • FLASHSep 11 Houthi forces seized Mocha and now control Yemen's entire Red Sea coastline, expanding their grip over the Bab al-Mandeb strait, with Saudi forces responding with air strikes on the city's port and airport.
Still developing

Charterers and owners moving product or chemical parcels through the Gulf should anticipate further tightening of war risk premiums and possible delays as Iran's announced restricted zone takes shape. The zone extending from Chabahar into the Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea, if enforced with the sanction threat Iran has indicated, could force routing decisions well before vessels reach the Strait of Hormuz itself. Separately, the Houthi seizure of Yemen's entire Red Sea coastline gives the group expanded leverage over Bab al-Mandeb, and charterers should expect continued volatility in that transit as Saudi air strikes on Mocha's port infrastructure suggest the conflict there is escalating rather than stabilizing.

Previous 5 weeks: quick reference

August 30-September 5
Week 36
  • Sep 1, 2026: UK Maritime Trade Operations reported a tanker struck by three unknown projectiles near Khasab, Oman, while exiting the Strait of Hormuz.
  • Sep 2, 2026: Riyadh accused Iran of attacking the Saudi-owned supertanker Sidr with projectiles north of Oman's Musandam Peninsula, killing two sailors.
  • Sep 2, 2026: Iran's Revolutionary Guard said two oil tankers hit sea mines and were disabled while attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz.
  • Sep 3, 2026: US Central Command said it had redirected 87 vessels in the Strait of Hormuz amid the naval blockade of Iran.
  • Sep 4, 2026: The US imposed sanctions on Turkiye-based Golden Global Bank and two subsidiaries, accusing them of facilitating tens of millions of dollars in transactions for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force.
  • Sep 5, 2026: Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it launched ballistic missiles at a US aircraft carrier and destroyer, and attacked three oil tankers for using unauthorised routes in the Strait of Hormuz.
August 23-28
Week 35
  • Aug 23, 2026: Iran's Persian Gulf Strait Authority said vessels repeatedly violating its passage rules through the Strait of Hormuz will face restrictions on future trips.
  • Aug 23, 2026: Iran's security chief warned that if Trump's economic war continues, Tehran will halt all oil exports from the Gulf and treat any country's support for US sanctions as an act of war.
  • Aug 24, 2026: The US announced new sanctions on Tehran that aim to sever every economic lifeline that sustains Iran, in a round that could target Iran's trade partners including China.
  • Aug 25, 2026: Iran's deputy foreign minister said the Strait of Hormuz remains closed and that an agreement on a temporary route with Oman does not mean it has reopened.
  • Aug 27, 2026: Qatar's Foreign Ministry said Qatar and Iran have discussed an agreement to implement a joint project to clear mines from the Strait of Hormuz.
  • Aug 28, 2026: The IRGC said it has retained decisive control over the Strait of Hormuz, while a White House spokesperson said the strait is de-mined and safe for transit.
August 16-22
Week 34
  • Aug 17, 2026: US President Donald Trump said the United States is not seeking an extension of the memorandum of understanding with Iran, which expired on Monday, and that Tehran should put up the white flag of surrender.
  • Aug 17, 2026: Oman is intensifying efforts to contain an oil spill from the grounded vessel Caroline Bezengi near al-Qibliyyah Island, which has been leaking since a suspected explosion on June 8 and now covers more than 2,000 sq km.
  • Aug 18, 2026: The UAE announced that all trade, commercial exchange and financial transactions with Iran have been halted until further notice, after accusing Iran of launching two ballistic missiles at the Gulf country targeting maritime traffic.
  • Aug 19, 2026: US President Donald Trump announced a crushing economic operation against Iran over its failure to reach a deal with Washington, warning other nations of severe financial consequences if they provide Tehran a lifeline.
  • Aug 19, 2026: An Iranian lawmaker said a Strait of Hormuz plan being discussed with Oman would place the waterway under the control of Iran's armed forces.
  • Aug 22, 2026: Iran granted Iraq permission to send a number of its oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iran's IRNA news agency.
August 9-15
Week 33
  • Aug 12, 2026: The US military says it has redirected 59 commercial vessels, disabled three and boarded two since reinstating its naval blockade on Iran.
  • Aug 12, 2026: The International Energy Agency forecasts that global oil supply will fall by 4.3 million barrels per day this year amid disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandeb.
  • Aug 13, 2026: The UAE said two of its vessels were attacked in the Strait of Hormuz and called on Iran to halt these unprovoked attacks.
  • Aug 13, 2026: US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth claims the US can maintain its blockade on Iran indefinitely, while US Vice President JD Vance says the main goal is ensuring Gulf countries continue to send oil and gas to the world economy for energy price stability.
  • Aug 14, 2026: Iran's Foreign Minister Araghchi said talks with Oman over an approved route through the Strait of Hormuz may conclude soon, but reiterated this issue was separate from the total opening of the waterway and an end to the war.
  • Aug 15, 2026: Iran reiterated it has reached an agreement with Oman on a shipping route map for the Strait of Hormuz after weeks of technical negotiations, but the finer points of a deal were still being finalised.
August 2-8
Week 32
  • Aug 2, 2026: US President Trump said negotiations with Iran are set to begin August 3 and a deal is likely on the Strait of Hormuz and denuclearisation, while Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi said negotiations between Oman and Iran on the strait are in their final stages.
  • Aug 3, 2026: US Central Command said it has redirected 44 commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz since reimposing the blockade mid-July.
  • Aug 4, 2026: US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz could be reached today or tomorrow, while oil prices fell sharply on hopes of a deal, with Brent crude falling below $80 a barrel.
  • Aug 7, 2026: US Central Command said it has redirected 51 commercial vessels, disabled two and boarded two others since reinstating its naval blockade of Iran on July 14.
  • Aug 7, 2026: Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, committing each country to treat an attack on one as an attack on all.
  • Aug 8, 2026: US Central Command said it has redirected 53 commercial vessels as part of its naval blockade on Iran, while Iran's Supreme National Security Council secretary said the US must lift sanctions and compensate Iran for war damages as demands for reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

This overview is compiled from public reporting and official statements, including CENTCOM, the US Treasury, the IRGC, and Al Jazeera's coverage. It is provided for general market awareness and is not a substitute for official guidance, sanctions counsel, or vessel-specific risk assessment. SPI Marine does not guarantee its completeness or accuracy. Details from the most recent 1-2 days may be headline-level only, pending fuller confirmation. 

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