How many vessels have crossed Hormuz since US blockade began?
President Trump has also warned that US naval forces will respond forcefully to any Iranian attacks and will target vessels found paying transit fees to Iran.
Since the United States announced a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz on Monday (13 April), 15 vessels have transited the shipping lane, nine of them with previous connections to Iran, reports BBC.
US Central Command (Centcom) has stated that the blockade covers all maritime traffic entering and leaving Iranian ports.
According to Centcom's update on Tuesday (14 April), no ships successfully crossed the strait in the first 36 hours of the operation, while six vessels complied with instructions to turn back.
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However, tracking data suggests that six of the vessels that did pass through the strait had earlier called at Iranian ports.
In addition, two further ships were identified as having departed areas near Iranian ports located east of the strait.
US President Donald Trump has linked the blockade to what he described as Iran's "knowingly failing" to reopen the waterway.
BBC reports that available tracking information does not show any oil or gas tankers fully loaded and travelling from the Gulf toward open waters during this period, regardless of Iranian affiliation.
It should be noted that ship location tracking depends on vessels broadcasting accurate signals. In some cases, ships may disable tracking systems or deliberately transmit incorrect coordinates, a tactic known as "spoofing."
Maritime experts have said such practices are frequently used by sanctioned tankers associated with Iran.
It has not been independently confirmed Centcom's figures on how many vessels were forced to turn around, although tracking data does show that at least one ship that passed through the strait later reversed its route, reports BBC.
The sanctioned tanker Rich Starry departed Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates, travelled east through the Strait of Hormuz, and subsequently turned back into the Gulf on Wednesday (15 April).
Separately, two vessels registered under the Iranian flag were observed leaving waters near Chabahar port, located east of the strait along Iran's southern coastline, following the start of the blockade.
The Strait of Hormuz has become a central flashpoint in the US–Israel–Iran conflict after Tehran disrupted one of the world's most critical maritime corridors.
Before the escalation, data from the Joint Maritime Information Centre shows that an average of 138 vessels passed through the strait daily, based on figures recorded prior to 28 February, as per BBC.
President Trump has also warned that US naval forces will respond forcefully to any Iranian attacks and will target vessels found paying transit fees to Iran.
Disruption to shipping over the past six weeks has had significant global economic consequences, driving energy price volatility and highlighting the dependence of global supply chains on the waterway linking the Gulf with the Indian Ocean.
