US narrows air protection windows for tankers in Hormuz after surge in Iranian attacks: Report

Ships were encouraged to begin their journeys at designated times to receive the best available US military support.US Central Command, which oversees American military operations in the Middle East, declined to elaborate on the messages, saying the NCAGS communications spoke for themselves.The change came as attacks on commercial shipping intensified. Iran said on Wednesday that it had targeted two US vessels and eight oil tankers in retaliation for US strikes on five Iranian tankers. The US military said those strikes followed an attack by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on an American warship with ballistic missiles.UK Maritime Trade Operations also reported further Iranian attacks on tankers near Dubai and Iraq.More than 70 commercial vessels have been attacked since the conflict began on February 28, according to FT.The southern route has become particularly vulnerable to Iranian surveillance. The IRGC has used small patrol boats to detect merchant ships travelling along the Omani side, many of which have traditionally sailed at night with lights and GPS signals switched off.US support is now being concentrated into shorter windows rather than covering much of the night. Mohsen Rezaei, head of the country’s Supreme National Security Council, said the zone would extend from the US naval blockade towards the strait and into the Persian Gulf.

Source: Times of India September 13, 2026 09:53 UTC