On Friday, U.S. forces took action against two more Iranian-flagged oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman as part of an expanded enforcement of the maritime blockade targeting ships entering or leaving Iranian ports. U.S. C...
On Friday, U.S. forces took action against two more Iranian-flagged oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman as part of an expanded enforcement of the maritime blockade targeting ships entering or leaving Iranian ports.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced in a statement that American forces intercepted and disabled the tankers, M/T Sea Star III and M/T Sevda, before they could reach an Iranian port, which would have violated the blockade.
According to CENTCOM, a U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet, launched from the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), fired precision missiles at the ships’ smokestacks, successfully disabling them and stopping their journey to Iran.
“All three vessels are no longer on their way to Iran,” CENTCOM stated, referencing Friday’s operation and a previous incident involving the Iranian tanker M/T Hasna on May 6. In that case, a Super Hornet from the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) fired rounds at the tanker’s rudder after it allegedly ignored several U.S. warnings.
U.S. forces disabled two Iranian tankers, Sea Star III and Sevda, after the vessels tried to break the American naval blockade and enter an Iranian port.
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) May 8, 2026
According to the U.S. military, an F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet launched from the USS George H.W. Bush conducted… pic.twitter.com/BHXV776NVp
The latest actions represent a further escalation in the U.S. enforcement campaign linked to the naval blockade that was announced in April. This blockade covers vessels from all countries attempting to enter or leave Iranian ports, but allows commercial traffic heading to destinations outside of Iran to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
“U.S. forces in the Middle East are committed to fully enforcing the blockade of vessels entering or leaving Iran,” CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper stated in his announcement. “Our highly trained personnel are doing an outstanding job.”
CENTCOM reported that several commercial vessels have been disabled and over 50 redirected since enforcement efforts began.
This announcement came less than 24 hours after CENTCOM confirmed that Iranian forces had launched missiles, drones, and fast boats at three U.S. Navy destroyers moving through the Strait of Hormuz, leading to retaliatory American strikes on Iranian military sites. President Trump later asserted that Iranian attacking forces were “completely destroyed” during this confrontation, adding that the destroyers would return to what he referred to as a U.S. “Wall of Steel” blockade around Iran.
The increasing maritime tension is contributing to uncertainty in global shipping markets and energy supply chains. Commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is heavily disrupted, with many operators hesitating to resume normal routes due to missile attacks, drone strikes, sea mine threats, and rising war-risk insurance costs.
Industry groups like BIMCO and the International Chamber of Shipping have consistently warned that commercial operators feel trapped between rapidly changing military actions, uncertain escort plans, and growing security threats in the Gulf.
BIMCO's Chief Safety & Security Officer Jakob Larsen warned earlier this week that sudden changes in operations—such as the abrupt discontinuation of “Project Freedom,” a short-lived U.S. escort initiative for stuck commercial vessels—have made risk assessments much more challenging for shipowners wishing to exit the region.
At the same time, concerns are growing for the thousands of seafarers still stuck on ships in the Gulf. Indian sailors interviewed by Reuters this week described nights filled with missile attacks, food shortages, and weeks trapped aboard vessels near Iranian ports as commercial activity in the area remains largely frozen.