U.S. forces disabled an unladen oil tanker on June 2 after it attempted to sail toward an Iranian port in the Arabian Gulf, officials announced.
According to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), forces enforced blockade measures against the Botswana-flagged M/T Lexie as the ship transited international waters toward Kharg Island. CENTCOM officials stated that “the ship’s crew ignored repeated warnings, failing to comply with directions from U.S. forces multiple times over a 24-hour period.”
The standoff ended when a U.S. aircraft fired a Hellfire missile into the ship’s engine room, disabling the vessel and preventing the tanker from reaching Iran.
The enforcement action is part of a broader blockade of all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports, which CENTCOM began implementing on April 13. While a ceasefire with Iran continues, U.S. forces have now disabled six commercial vessels and redirected 122 others under the blockade measures.
READ: Trump Slams Rumors Of Iran Silence, Says Continuous Talks Must End 47-Year Stalemate
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