Four ships linked to Iran have crossed the Strait of Hormuz despite a naval blockade announced by the United States, according to ship tracking data. BBC Verify’s analysis indicated that the vessels continued to navigate the key waterway even after the blockade took effect. MarineTraffic data showed that the bulk carrier 'Christianna' departed from Iran’s Bandar Imam Khomeini port and crossed the strait on Monday. Another vessel, 'Rich Stary', under US sanctions for Iran-related trade, traveled eastward from Sharjah, UAE, through the strait.

A third tanker, 'Murlikishan', also under sanctions, sailed westward from Lanshan, China, and was last located east of Iran’s Qeshm Island. A fourth tanker, 'Elpis', crossed the strait eastward from Iran’s Bushehr port on Tuesday, though its destination remains unknown. The report noted that some ships may have used false location data, a practice known as spoofing, to conceal their movements.

The US military had earlier announced that from 14:00 GMT Monday, all vessels bound to or from Iranian ports would be subject to blockade, while ships using the strait for non-Iranian ports would not be restricted.