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US naval force intercepts eight Iran-linked oil tankers since start of blockade

15 April 2026 13:09 (UTC +04:00)

US naval forces intercepted eight Iran-linked oil tankers since the blockade began earlier this week, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday citing a US official.

The announcement came as the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said that the US had halted economic trade going into and out of Iran by sea.

The report added that in all interception cases the “forces contacted the crew by radio communications and instructed them to reverse course,” citing US officials, who said that the tankers complied with the call and that no boarding was necessary.

The officials reportedly said that the first two intercepted ships had left Iran’s Chabahar port on the Gulf of Oman and were contacted by a US destroyer, the WSJ reported, adding that the US was also using P-8 maritime patrol aircraft to intercept tankers.

US President Donald Trump announced the blockade following the breakdown of weekend talks held in Pakistan to end the war.

CENCTOM Chief Admiral Brad Cooper said on Wednesday that a “blockade of Iranian ports has been fully implemented,” noting that around 90 percent of Iran’s economy is fueled by international trade by sea.

“In less than 36 hours since the blockade was implemented, US forces have completely halted economic trade going into and out of Iran by sea,” Cooper said in a post on X.