▲ Strait of Hormuz
The U.S. military announced on June 8 (local time) that it had attacked and neutralized an empty oil tanker that attempted to breach the U.S. "counter-blockade" of the Strait of Hormuz aimed at Iran.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees military operations in the Middle East, stated on X (formerly Twitter) that day that it had "neutralized the Palau-flagged M/T Maribex, which was transiting international waters in the Gulf of Oman heading toward Iran."
CENTCOM added, "After the crew failed to comply with U.S. instructions, F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jets from the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group fired precision-guided munitions into the vessel's engine room and wheelhouse," noting that "the M/T Maribex is no longer capable of sailing to Iran."
Regarding the U.S. action, The New York Times (NYT) reported, citing maritime data provider Windward, that the vessel is currently anchored off the coast of Oman, and that all crew members evacuated following a fire on board.
Under the directive of President Donald Trump, the U.S. military has been enforcing a blockade around the Strait of Hormuz since April 13, targeting all vessels entering or leaving Iranian ports or coastal areas to cut off Iran's maritime trade and tighten the squeeze on its war funding sources.
With this latest action, the number of civilian merchant vessels neutralized by U.S. military operations has risen to seven.
Additionally, CENTCOM stated that it has turned back 134 merchant vessels to date and has permitted the passage of 42 ships carrying humanitarian aid.
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.