U.S. military forces fired a missile on Tuesday at an oil tanker attempting to breach an American-imposed blockade on Iranian ports, successfully disabling the vessel, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed.
The strike marks the sixth time Washington has used military force to halt ships attempting to violate the blockade since its implementation on April 13.
According to a CENTCOM statement, the Botswana-flagged M/T Lexie—an unladen oil tanker—ignored repeated warnings over a 24-hour period. An American warplane ultimately disabled the vessel by firing a Hellfire missile directly into the ship’s engine room.
The military’s statement did not specify whether the strike caused any casualties aboard the Lexie.
A Escalating Pattern of Maritime Interceptions
Tuesday’s strike is part of an increasingly aggressive enforcement campaign by U.S. forces in the region. Recent operations detailed by CENTCOM showcase a strict, tactical approach to halting non-compliant vessels:
- Last Friday: U.S. forces disabled a Gambia-flagged cargo vessel after it failed to comply with maritime directives.
- May 8: U.S. forces fired munitions directly down the smokestacks of two Iranian-flagged tankers to force them to a halt.
- May 6: An American warplane disabled an Iranian-flagged ship by targeting its rudder with a 20mm cannon.
- April 19: After an Iranian-flagged vessel ignored multiple warnings from a U.S. destroyer, the American warship ordered the crew to evacuate the engine room before destroying it with multiple rounds from its five-inch gun.
Geopolitical Deadlock
The ongoing maritime blockade was established by the United States following the collapse of diplomatic peace talks in Pakistan earlier this April, which failed to yield a breakthrough.
Regional volatility initially spiked on February 28 following the outbreak of the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran. In response to the conflict, Tehran’s forces effectively closed the vital Strait of Hormuz, a critical global choke point for international oil and gas shipments.
Iran has not yet publicly commented on the disabling of the M/T Lexie.
