US forces disable Iranian-flagged unladen oil tanker amid blockade: CENTCOM
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United States military forces operating in the Gulf of Oman disabled an Iranian-flagged oil tanker on Wednesday after it allegedly failed to comply with warnings related to an ongoing US maritime blockade, Central Command (CENTCOM) announced.
CENTCOM said in a statement that the vessel—identified as the M/T Hasna—was observed transiting international waters en route to an Iranian port on the Gulf of Oman at approximately 9 am Eastern Time (1400 GMT).
US forces issued “multiple warnings” to the tanker, informing its crew that the vessel violated the blockade, the command said.
"After Hasna’s crew failed to comply with repeated warnings, US forces disabled the tanker’s rudder by firing several rounds from the 20mm cannon gun of a US Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet launched from USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72). Hasna is no longer transiting to Iran," it added.
The US blockade against ships attempting to enter or depart Iranian ports remains "in full effect," it reiterated.
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Regional tensions have escalated since the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran on Feb. 28, triggering retaliation from Tehran against Israel as well as US allies in the Gulf, along with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
A ceasefire took effect on April 8 through Pakistani mediation, but talks in Islamabad failed to produce a lasting agreement. The truce was later extended by US President Donald Trump without a set deadline.
Since April 13, the US has enforced a naval blockade targeting Iranian maritime traffic in the strait.
Trump announced Tuesday that the US military will temporarily pause "Project Freedom" to restore freedom of navigation for commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, while he said the US blockade will remain "in full force and effect."