US forces disable tanker heading to Iranian port as blockade resumes

U.S. forces disabled an oil tanker Wednesday as it attempted to sail toward an Iranian port in the Arabian Gulf amid the resumption of the naval blockade, U.S. Central Command said in a Wednesday evening post on X.

The Curacao-flagged M/T Belma ignored repeated warnings to stop as it headed toward Kharg Island, CENTCOM wrote. In an 18-second video, a U.S. aircraft is seen disabling the vessel by firing missiles into the ship’s smokestack.

“U.S. forces remain vigilant and prepared to ensure full compliance,” CENTCOM said in the post to X.

This is the first vessel that U.S. forces have disabled since the naval blockade resumed on Tuesday. Two other commercial vessels that complied with U.S. warnings were redirected, CENTCOM said in the same post.

The blockade took effect Tuesday against vessels transiting to and from Iranian ports and coastal areas. It follows U.S. attacks over the weekend against Iran after the country’s military targeted commercial ships moving through the strait.

Iran said it had hit two “rogue” tankers moving through the strait after they ignored warnings and crossed restricted water routes, according to the semi-official Fars news outlet.

Both sides have accused the other of violating the memorandum of understanding, which was signed last month in an effort to end the hostilities.