[80842] Escalation in the Gulf: US disabled an Iranian oil tanker and attacked targets on Qeshm Island
[80842] Escalation in the Gulf: US disabled an Iranian oil tanker and attacked targets on Qeshm Island
The US Central Command reported that it disabled an oil tanker that attempted to break the naval blockade on Iran, simultaneously with strikes against an Iranian control station on Qeshm Island.
Escalation in the Gulf: US intensifies enforcement against Iran
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) reported a serious incident in the Persian Gulf on June 2, during which US forces disabled a Botswana-flagged oil tanker, the M/T Lexie. According to 8200 News, the ship ignored repeated warnings for 24 hours while making its way toward Kharg Island. A US aircraft fired a Hellfire missile at the ship's engine room to prevent it from reaching its destination.
In similar reports, The Hot News noted that the operation is part of a broader naval blockade implemented on Iranian ports since April 13. According to Central Command data, US forces have disabled six vessels so far and diverted 122 others from their course. Nitzan Shapira and Asaf Rozenzweig emphasized in their coverage that the ship was "empty of cargo" at the time of the incident in international waters.
Parallel to the naval activity, The Hot News reported in an additional link that CENTCOM confirmed conducting "self-defense strikes" against an Iranian ground control station on Qeshm Island. According to the report, the strike was carried out in response to Iranian escalation against its neighbors in the Gulf and US bases in the region.
Moti Castel and Suli & Blumenthal added technical details about the warning process that preceded the missile fire, highlighting the fact that the ship did not comply with calls to stop. It appears that all sources agree on the basic facts of the event, with the reports presenting a consistent line supporting the American enforcement actions in the Gulf region.