US Central Command has disabled a third oil tanker this week in the Gulf of Oman, escalating Washington’s maritime blockade of Iranian ports. American aircraft fired Hellfire missiles into the engine room of a Guinea-Bissau-flagged vessel early Thursday after the crew repeatedly ignored military directives. This marks the ninth commercial ship struck since the US enforcement campaign began in April.
The operation follows a Wednesday strike on the Palau-flagged MT Settebello, which resulted in the confirmed deaths of three Indian crew members and prompted a formal diplomatic protest from New Delhi. US forces report redirecting 135 compliant vessels and clearing 42 humanitarian aid ships since the blockade’s inception.
The Strait of Hormuz remains a contested corridor. Tehran halted cargo traffic in late February, prompting Washington to impose a counter-blockade on Iranian maritime operations. Commercial shipping now faces sustained pressure as both militaries enforce rival restrictions across one of the world’s most critical energy chokepoints.