The U.S. military struck two Iranian-flagged oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman on Friday, preventing them from entering an Iranian port in violation of a U.S. naval blockade. The action was carried out by a U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet, which disabled both tankers by firing precision munitions into their smokestacks, according to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM). The vessels, identified as the M/T Sea Star III and M/T Sevda, were unladen and attempting to bypass the blockade.
The strikes occurred amid escalating tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for global energy trade. Earlier in the week, a U.S. fighter jet had disabled the rudder of another tanker attempting to breach the blockade. On Thursday, the U.S. military said it thwarted Iranian attacks on three Navy ships and struck Iranian military facilities in response. The U.S. has imposed its own blockade of Iranian ports after Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz following the outbreak of war on February 28.
The strikes cast doubt on a tenuous month-old ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran, even as President Donald Trump insists the truce remains in effect. The U.S. is awaiting Iran's response to its latest proposal for a deal to end the war, reopen the strait, and roll back Tehran's disputed nuclear program. Secretary of State Marco Rubios said he hopes to receive 'a serious offer' from Iran later on Friday. The ongoing stifling of tanker traffic has triggered a global energy supply shock, causing a surge in oil prices and a cascade of other economic effects.