US forces conducted airstrikes on two Iranian oil tankers on Friday, disabling them after they allegedly attempted to breach President Donald Trump's blockade. The vessels were brought to a halt after their smokestacks were hit, according to US Central Command, with footage showing thick black plumes of smoke billowing from the ships.
Details of the Attack
A senior US official described the vessels as 'Very Large Crude Carriers... massive, empty ships trying to make it back to Iran.' The strikes followed reports of clashes between Iranian and US forces in and around the Strait of Hormuz, casting doubt on a tenuous month-old ceasefire that the US insists remains in effect.
Washington is awaiting Iran's response to its latest proposal for a deal to end the war, reopen the strait, and roll back Tehran's nuclear programme. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed hope for 'a serious offer' from Iran later on Friday.
Broader Military Actions
The US military said its forces disabled the tankers to enforce an American blockade of Iran's ports. Hours earlier, it thwarted attacks on three US Navy ships and struck Iranian military facilities in the strait. Iran has mostly blocked the critical waterway since the US and Israel launched the war on February 28, causing a global spike in fuel prices.
Earlier in the week, a US fighter jet shot out the rudder of a tanker attempting to breach the blockade. Late on Thursday, the US military thwarted Iranian attacks on three Navy ships and struck Iranian military facilities in response, with no American ships hit. Rubio warned, 'They threaten Americans, they are going to be blown up.'
Iranian and International Reactions
Iran's Foreign Ministry condemned the 'hostile' US military action, saying it violated the ceasefire. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted on X, 'Every time a diplomatic solution is on the table, the US opts for a reckless military adventure.' A US strike overnight killed at least one sailor and injured 10 others aboard a cargo vessel that caught fire, though it was unclear if this was one of the two tankers acknowledged by the US.
President Trump insists the ceasefire is holding and reiterates threats to resume full-scale bombing if Iran does not accept an agreement to reopen the strait and roll back its nuclear programme. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said his country has been in contact with the US and Iran 'day and night' to extend the ceasefire and reach a peace deal.
Environmental and Economic Concerns
Satellite images reviewed by The Associated Press show an oil slick in the Persian Gulf emanating from the western side of Kharg Island, Iran's main crude export terminal. The slick, first detected on Tuesday, covers roughly 95 square kilometers and is spreading southwest at about two kilometers per hour. Nina Noelle of Greenpeace Germany warned of risks to ecologically sensitive marine areas if the slick continues drifting southward. The Pentagon declined to comment on the spill or recent strikes on the island.
Rubio stated that it is 'unacceptable' for Iran to have a government agency that vets and taxes ships seeking passage through the strait. Lloyd's List Intelligence reported that Iran created the Persian Gulf Strait Authority, raising concerns about international shipping as hundreds of commercial vessels are bottled up in the Persian Gulf. Rubio questioned, 'Is the world going to accept that Iran now controls an international waterway?'
A Chinese-crewed oil tanker was attacked near the strait, with China continuing to import oil from Iran despite the effective closure. China's Foreign Ministry confirmed the tanker was registered in the Marshall Islands with Chinese crew, reporting no casualties. Meanwhile, an oil tanker that passed through the strait in mid-April arrived off South Korea's coast with one million barrels of crude oil, as South Korea, which imported over 60% of its crude through the strait last year, has capped fuel prices.
