U.S. Navy Jet Fires Upon, Disables Iranian Tanker Accused of Violating Washington’s Blockade

U.S. forces disabled an Iranian-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman on Wednesday after CENTCOM said the vessel attempted to violate Washington’s blockade on ships entering or departing Iranian ports.

According to U.S. Central Command, the unladen tanker M/T Hasna was transiting international waters toward an Iranian port at approximately 9 a.m. ET on May 6 when American forces issued multiple warnings and informed the vessel it was in violation of the blockade.

After the crew failed to comply, a U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet launched from USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) fired several 20mm cannon rounds to disable the tanker’s rudder. CENTCOM said Hasna is “no longer transiting to Iran.”

The incident marks another escalation in U.S. enforcement of the blockade, which CENTCOM announced in April would apply to vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports while not impeding ships bound for non-Iranian ports through the Strait of Hormuz. 

It also follows a similar April incident involving the Iranian-flagged M/V Touska, which CENTCOM said was stopped by firing into the ship’s engine room while sailing toward Bandar Abbas. 

The latest action comes just one day after President Donald Trump announced a pause to “Project Freedom,” the U.S.-led effort to evacuate stranded commercial ships from the Persian Gulf and restore freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, as negotiations with Iran appeared to gain momentum toward a potential agreement. At the same time, Trump made clear that the separate U.S. blockade targeting vessels entering or departing Iranian ports would remain fully in force.

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