United States Central Command – War Watch

Defense and Military Forces | International Relations | Iran | Iran's nuclear programme | Israel | Israel–Iran War | Oil (Petroleum) and Gasoline | Ships and Shipping | Strait of Hormuz | Trump, Donald J | United States Central Command | United States Defense and Military Forces | United States International Relations | US and Israeli Attack on Iran (2026) | War and Armed Conflicts

Iran Threatens Ships Over Trump Plan to Break Iran’s Blockade
ByAaron Boxerman and Sanam Mahoozi May 4, 2026May 4, 2026

A senior Iranian military official warned that any vessel that tried to cross the Strait of Hormuz without permission would be “at risk.”

Read More Iran Threatens Ships Over Trump Plan to Break Iran’s Blockade
Arabian Sea | International Relations | Iran | Iran's nuclear programme | Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps | Israel | Israel–Iran War | Middle East | MV Touska | Pakistan | Ships and Shipping | Tehran (Iran) | Treasury Department | Trump, Donald J | United States Central Command | US and Israeli Attack on Iran (2026)

Pakistan Says It Helped Transfer Iranian Crew From Ship That U.S. Seized
ByElian Peltier and Dan Watson May 4, 2026May 4, 2026

Describing the transfer of the crew from the MV Touska cargo ship back to Iran as a ‘confidence-building measure’ between U.S. and Iranian officials, Pakistan again plays a mediating role.

Read More Pakistan Says It Helped Transfer Iranian Crew From Ship That U.S. Seized
Iran | Iran's nuclear programme | Israel | Israel–Iran War | Ships and Shipping | Strait of Hormuz | United States Central Command | United States Navy | US and Israeli Attack on Iran (2026)

U.S. Fires on Iranian Cargo Ship in Arabian Sea
ByEric Schmitt April 19, 2026April 20, 2026

The military said it had disabled the vessel after it ignored repeated warnings to stop, amid a U.S. blockade of Iranian ports. Marines boarded the ship and seized it.

Read More U.S. Fires on Iranian Cargo Ship in Arabian Sea
Caine, John Daniel (1968- ) | Defense Department | Gulf of Oman | Hegseth, Pete | Infrastructure (Public Works) | Iran | Iran's nuclear programme | Israel | Israel–Iran War | Ships and Shipping | Strait of Hormuz | Trump, Donald J | United States Central Command | United States Defense and Military Forces | United States Navy | United States Politics and Government | US and Israeli Attack on Iran (2026) | War Crimes, Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity

Hegseth Again Threatens Attacks on Iran’s Civilian Infrastructure
ByJohn Ismay April 16, 2026April 16, 2026

The U.S. blockade of shipments through the Strait of Hormuz would last “for as long as it takes,” the defense secretary said.

Read More Hegseth Again Threatens Attacks on Iran’s Civilian Infrastructure
Boats and Boating | International Trade and World Market | Iran | Iran's nuclear programme | Israel | Israel–Iran War | Oil-for-Food Program (UN) | Persian Gulf | Ships and Shipping | Smuggling | Trump, Donald J | United States Central Command | United States Defense and Military Forces | United States Navy | US and Israeli Attack on Iran (2026)

What the U.S. Blockade of Iran and the Strait of Hormuz Might Look Like
ByJohn Ismay April 13, 2026

The U.S. military has provided few details on how it might carry out President Trump’s orders as he seeks to pressure Tehran on a peace deal. But history and established practices offer some clues.

Read More What the U.S. Blockade of Iran and the Strait of Hormuz Might Look Like
International Trade and World Market | Iran | Iran's nuclear programme | Israel | Israel–Iran War | Mines, Explosive | Ships and Shipping | United States Central Command | United States Defense and Military Forces | United States Navy | US and Israeli Attack on Iran (2026)

Navy Warships Cross Strait of Hormuz to Clear Mines, U.S. Says
ByMichael Crowley, Julian E. Barnes, Adam Rasgon and Tyler Pager April 12, 2026

Iran denied that the American destroyers had entered the strait, as negotiations for an extended cease-fire continued in Islamabad.

Read More Navy Warships Cross Strait of Hormuz to Clear Mines, U.S. Says
Civilian Casualties | Iran | Iran's nuclear programme | Israel | Israel–Iran War | Lamerd (Iran) | Missiles and Missile Defense Systems | United States Central Command | United States Defense and Military Forces | United States International Relations | US and Israeli Attack on Iran (2026) | Video Recordings, Downloads and Streaming

New Evidence Further Implicates U.S. Missiles in Strikes That Killed 21 Civilians in Iran
ByChristiaan Triebert, John Ismay, Alexander Cardia, Leanne Abraham and Azmat Khan April 10, 2026April 11, 2026

Additional images and video build on an earlier analysis, which the Pentagon has disputed, showing Precision Strike Missiles, or PrSMs, hit a sports hall and residential areas in the Iranian city of Lamerd.

Read More New Evidence Further Implicates U.S. Missiles in Strikes That Killed 21 Civilians in Iran
Central Intelligence Agency | Iran | Iran's nuclear programme | Israel | Israel–Iran War | Khamenei, Mojtaba (1969- ) | Nuclear weapons | Persian Gulf | Rescues | Strait of Hormuz | Threats and Threatening Messages | Trump, Donald J | United States Air Force | United States Central Command | United States Defense and Military Forces | United States International Relations | United States Politics and Government | US and Israeli Attack on Iran (2026)

Trump’s Lesson From Risky Rescue: Threaten to Go Harder at Iran
ByDavid E. Sanger April 5, 2026April 6, 2026

In an expletive-laced social media post, the president said Iran should open the Strait of Hormuz or he would bomb bridges and power plants.

Read More Trump’s Lesson From Risky Rescue: Threaten to Go Harder at Iran
Iran | Iran's nuclear programme | Israel | Israel–Iran War | Military Aircraft | Military Bases and Installations | Starmer, Keir | Trump, Donald J | United States Air Force | United States Central Command | United States Defense and Military Forces | US and Israeli Attack on Iran (2026)

U.S. Fighter Jet Downed Over Iran Was Probably Based at R.A.F. Lakenheath, U.K. Airfield
ByStephen Castle April 4, 2026April 4, 2026

A military analyst identified markings consistent with a squadron based at R.A.F. Lakenheath, one of two British bases that host the largest U.S. fighter jet operation in Europe.

Read More U.S. Fighter Jet Downed Over Iran Was Probably Based at R.A.F. Lakenheath, U.K. Airfield
Aviation Accidents, Safety and Disasters | Defense and Military Forces | Defense Department | Hegseth, Pete | International Relations | Iran | Iran's nuclear programme | Israel | Israel–Iran War | Military Aircraft | Pilots | Rescues | Strait of Hormuz | Trump, Donald J | United States | United States Air Force | United States Central Command | United States Defense and Military Forces | United States International Relations | US and Israeli Attack on Iran (2026)

Iran Shoots Down U.S. Fighter Jet, Setting Off American Search and Rescue
ByEric Schmitt, Helene Cooper and Thomas Fuller April 3, 2026April 3, 2026

One crew member was rescued. The risky operation to find the second airman came as the United States and Israel struck infrastructure targets in Iran, prompting Iranian retaliation in the Gulf.

Read More Iran Shoots Down U.S. Fighter Jet, Setting Off American Search and Rescue