The United States has struck an oil tanker it said was heading toward Iran’s largest oil export terminal, marking one of the most direct enforcement actions since Washington reinstated its naval blockade on Iranian ports.
The United States has fired missiles at an oil tanker in the Gulf after accusing the vessel of ignoring repeated warnings while sailing toward Iran’s largest oil export terminal.
US Central Command (Centcom) said the tanker, identified as Belma, was heading for Kharg Island, Iran’s main oil export hub, when American forces intervened.
According to Centcom, the vessel refused multiple orders to change course, prompting a US military aircraft to disable it by firing Hellfire missiles into the ship’s smokestack.
The military said the strike was intended to stop the tanker without sinking it or causing an environmental disaster.
The action comes just a day after President Donald Trump reinstated a naval blockade on Iranian ports, accusing Tehran of carrying out repeated attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and violating an earlier ceasefire agreement.
Trump had previously declared the ceasefire effectively “over” following several days of escalating military exchanges between the United States and Iran.
Washington first imposed the blockade on 13 April, maintaining it until 18 June.
During that period, the US military said it redirected more than 140 commercial vessels and disabled nine ships attempting to enter or leave Iranian ports.
The blockade, alongside key sanctions on Iranian oil exports, was temporarily lifted after both countries signed a ceasefire agreement on 17 June.
That deal also included a temporary US licence allowing Iranian oil to be sold internationally, with payments permitted in US dollars.
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The easing of restrictions gave Tehran a brief economic boost.
According to Iran’s chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the country was able to sell crude oil at prices roughly 20% higher than before the conflict.
Analysts from advocacy group United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) and shipping intelligence firm TankerTrackers.com estimate that Iran exported at least 74 million barrels of oil during the suspension of the blockade, generating more than $6 billion in revenue.
However, Washington tightened restrictions again after accusing Iran of launching attacks on commercial vessels travelling through the Strait of Hormuz.
In Wednesday’s operation, CENTCOM said two additional commercial ships complied with US instructions and altered their routes, avoiding further military action.
Shipping data from MarineTraffic shows that Belma entered the Gulf on Tuesday after passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
The vessel was reportedly travelling without cargo, and last transmitted its location around 100 kilometres southeast of Kharg Island before communications stopped.
Another sanctioned tanker, Fuyao, also changed course on Thursday after initially heading toward Pakistan with a shipment of crude oil.
Ship-tracking data indicates the vessel turned back toward Iranian waters in the Gulf of Oman, although it remains unclear whether the decision was directly linked to the renewed US enforcement campaign.
The renewed blockade is already having a significant impact on maritime traffic.
According to preliminary figures from maritime intelligence company Kpler, only 11 fuel tankers and cargo vessels passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday.
That compares with 17 crossings on Monday, 16 on Tuesday, and remains well below the pre-conflict daily average of about 138 vessels.
The sharp decline highlights growing concerns over global energy supplies and shipping disruptions as tensions between Washington and Tehran continue to escalate.
With military operations intensifying and commercial traffic slowing dramatically, analysts warn that prolonged disruption in the Gulf could place additional pressure on global oil markets and international trade.
