US forces disable oil tanker violating naval blockade against Iran

U.S. forces on Wednesday disabled an oil tanker in the Persian Gulf that was attempting to sail toward Iran, violating a naval blockade imposed by Washington. The U.S. Central Command (Centcom) reported that the Curacao-flagged commercial vessel, identified as the M/T Belma, was detected traversing international waters en route to Kharg Island, a key Iranian oil center.

According to Centcom, the tanker ignored multiple warnings before its attempted violation of the blockade. A U.S. aircraft reportedly fired Hellfire missiles at the vessel's smokestack, rendering it inoperable and halting its journey to Iranian territory. Images released by U.S. media appeared to show a U.S. naval vessel launching missiles at the tanker as it crossed the blockade line.

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U.S. forces enforced the naval blockade against Iran on Tuesday by disabling an unladen oil tanker that was attempting to sail toward Kharg Island.

This action is part of a broader, aggressive offensive by the United States against Iran, which intensified over the weekend after President Donald Trump declared an end to a truce with Tehran. Iran has accused the U.S. of shattering a memorandum of understanding to end the war and reported over 30 civilian deaths from recent U.S. attacks.

Despite the escalating tensions, Trump stated this week that he is not currently seeking negotiations with Iran, though he acknowledged that representatives from both countries had been in contact. The incident underscores the volatile maritime security situation in the Persian Gulf, a critical waterway for global oil transport.

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The Curacao-flagged M/T Belma ignored repeated warnings while traveling through international waters toward…