The US Central Command said it has sent over 20 warships to the Middle East to support military missions, including strict enforcement of the US blockade against Iran on Sunday.
Among the vessels is the USS Ross, a US Navy destroyer.
“As of August 9, CENTCOM has redirected 55 commercial vessels, disabled 2, and boarded 2 to ensure compliance,” it said in a post on X.
The deployment comes amid heightened tensions in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has refused to reopen the strait unless Washington meets a series of demands.
Iranian officials have demanded the US end their naval blockade, lift sanctions, end military threats and compensate for damages caused by American attacks. They also called for the release of frozen assets and an end to attacks against its regional allies.
The US, however, has pushed back against the demands.
Mike Waltz, US ambassador to the UN, said, “When Iran is coming to the table with our negotiators, they are talking about cash, cash, cash. Because they’ll absorb the bombings.”
“They are constantly asking for access to cash, access to their assets that we have frozen … that’s the squeeze. That, coupled with the blockade, that’s what’s going to eventually get the Iranians to move,” he said.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump also told Axios that they were “low-keying it” with Iran. "We are only semi-negotiating with them. We are just watching Iran with its huge inflation and the fact they have no money,” he said.
The comments came as the US is continuing its enforcement operation in the strait.
Iran's foreign minister Abbas Aragchi, however, has said that there are no direct talks with the US, but said negotiations with Oman are continuing on the Strait of Hormuz.
It was reported that Iran would be given partial control over traffic in the strait under the new deal.
Earlier, the Wall Street Journal reported that the US president was seeking to extricate the military confrontation with Iran as the conflict becomes difficult to resolve.
