The U.S. military says it disabled the unladen tanker M/T Belma as it sailed toward Iran's main oil terminal, after it ignored repeated warnings. A U.S. aircraft fired Hellfire missiles into the ship's smokestack, stopping its progress.
This morning, U.S. Central Command disabled the Curaçao-flagged, unladen tanker M/T Belma as it sailed toward Iran's Kharg Island, the country's primary oil export terminal. CENTCOM stated that the vessel ignored repeated warnings before a U.S. aircraft fired Hellfire missiles into its smokestack, halting its advance.
The interdiction is the third in less than 12 hours targeting tankers heading to Kharg Island. The first reports emerged at 00:17 Jerusalem, when N12 cited the U.S. military as saying it disabled an oil tanker that ignored instructions and attempted to sail to an Iranian port near Kharg Island. By 00:17, CENTCOM confirmed it had fired a missile at a ship that defied orders, and later that same minute identified the vessel as an empty tanker attempting to breach the blockade. At 00:45 Jerusalem, The Zioneer reported that CENTCOM struck another empty tanker en route to the same destination. The current action marks the third such interdiction.
The U.S. naval blockade of Iran, in place since April 13, has seen multiple similar interdictions. As The Zioneer reported on June 10, CENTCOM had disabled eight vessels total by that time, including the Palau-flagged M/T Settebello in the Gulf of Oman. The blockade continues to strain Iran's oil exports.
No information has been released on the status of the crew or the extent of damage to the M/T Belma. The tanker was not carrying cargo at the time of the strike.
6 developments
- StrongUS CENTCOM disables oil tanker for second consecutive day in Gulf of Oman
- DevelopingCENTCOM strikes oil tanker attempting to breach blockade in Strait of Hormuz
- StrongCENTCOM announces new wave of strikes across Iran after drone hits oil tanker
- DevelopingUS Central Command releases footage of disabling Iranian-affiliated vessel
Source and signal
- Internal intake