U.S. forces launched a missile to disable a commercial vessel approaching an Iranian island on June 2, as part of the ongoing blockade of Iranian ports and maritime trade.
The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced it had observed the Botswana-flagged crude oil tanker M/T Lexie approaching Kharg Island, an Iranian territorial island and key oil-loading terminal located at the northern end of the Persian Gulf. CENTCOM said the tanker's crew ignored repeated warnings over a 24-hour period as it approached the island.
"A U.S. aircraft ultimately disabled the vessel by firing a Hellfire missile into the ship’s engine room, preventing the tanker from reaching Iran," CENTCOM said in a statement on Tuesday.
CENTCOM shared footage showing the moment of the missile's impact on the commercial ship.
The June 2 incident near Kharg Island marked the sixth instance in which U.S. forces have utilized disabling fire as part of their enforcement measures since the blockade began on April 13. CENTCOM reported U.S. forces have also redirected 122 vessels as part of their blockade efforts thus far.
The latest blockade enforcement action occurred as negotiations between Washington and Tehran sit at a delicate stage.
Tehran has chafed at the continuing U.S. blockade of Iran's maritime trade, which various Iranian officials have described as a violation of the ceasefire agreement the United States and Iran reached on April 7.
Though Trump laid out a set of possible peace terms, Washington and Tehran still have yet to reach an agreement, and tensions between both parties have flared in the days since Trump's announcement.
CENTCOM reported Iranian forces shot down a U.S. MQ-1 Predator drone on May 30, after which U.S. aircraft responded by targeting Iranian air defenses, a ground control station, and two one-way attack drones posing threats to shipping in the region. CENTCOM reported U.S. forces also intercepted a pair of Iranian missiles targeting U.S. forces in Kuwait on June 1, preventing harm to any of those American troops.
Tehran also raised new objections to Israel’s intensifying military operations in Lebanon against Hezbollah, a designated terrorist organization aligned with Iran.
Trump shared multiple social media posts on June 1, stating Tehran is still interested in reaching a deal to end the armed standoff. Trump announced he also communicated with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and, through an intermediary, with Hezbollah, and that both sides offered assurances that they would refrain from further hostilities.