The U.S. military said it has redirected the routes of dozens of merchant ships and disabled some vessels so far as part of a maritime blockade operation targeting Iran.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees the Middle East, said on X on the 9th that "since on the 13th of April, we have redirected the routes of 58 merchant ships and disabled 4 to block entries and departures to Iranian ports."
After entering a truce with Iran on the 7th of last month, the United States has carried out a "maritime blockade against Iran" since the 13th of the same month, tightening control over ships entering and leaving Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz and nearby waters. The aim is to pressure Iran's flow of funds and gain an advantage in cease-fire talks.
Earlier, the U.S. military also said the previous day that it had disabled two Iranian oil tankers that tried to break through the maritime blockade and enter an Iranian port.
On the 7th, fighting between the United States and Iran flared again around the Strait of Hormuz, but both sides say the current truce itself remains in place.
U.S. President Donald Trump, when asked the previous day whether Iran had delivered a response to the U.S. proposal, said, "I will probably receive (Iran's) letter tonight." However, it has not yet been confirmed whether Iran actually delivered an official position.
Earlier, President Trump noted that the cease-fire agreement would include shipping Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium to the United States and halting operations at underground nuclear facilities, but Iran has yet to issue an official response.