American forces fired on and disabled two Iranian-flagged unladen oil tankers on Friday after the ships attempted to cross a U.S. Navy blockade in the Strait of Hormuz.
A U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet from USS George H.W. Bush launched “precision munitions” at the smokestacks of M/T Sea Star III and M/T Sevda, disabling the vessels before they could reach an Iranian port on the Gulf of Oman, according to U.S. Central Command.
“U.S. forces in the Middle East remain committed to full enforcement of the blockade of vessels entering or leaving Iran,” said Adm. Brad Cooper, the commander of CENTCOM.
The U.S. military has turned away 50 commercial vessels operating in the strait since the U.S. Navy blockade began on April 12.
Friday’s confrontation capped a tumultuous week in the waterway.
On Monday, the U.S. destroyed six Iranian small boats, as well as cruise missiles and drones, that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched against ships under U.S. escort through the strait. The escort was part of the U.S.’s short-lived Project Freedom, a military operation to escort commercial ships that has since been paused.
U.S. forces also intercepted the Iranian-flagged unladen oil tanker, M/T Hasna, in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday as it made its way toward an Iranian port.
A U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet from the USS Abraham Lincoln fired on the vessel after issuing several warnings, disabling the tanker.
And on Thursday, the U.S. conducted strikes against Iranian military facilities after Iran launched missiles, drones and small boats at three U.S. Navy vessels transiting the strait.
Despite continued military conflict around the Strait, President Donald Trump downplayed concerns about potential escalation, telling ABC News on Thursday that U.S. strikes against Iranian targets were just a “love tap” and that the four-week-old ceasefire was still in effect.
The U.S. and Iran remain in discussions over an agreement that would reportedly end the Iran war and shut down the country’s nuclear program.
Riley Ceder is a reporter at Military Times, where he covers breaking news, criminal justice, investigations, and cyber. He previously worked as an investigative practicum student at The Washington Post, where he contributed to the Abused by the Badge investigation.
Read the full article here