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U.S. Disables Two Iran-Flagged Tankers Near Strait of Hormuz Amid Tensions

U.S. Disables Two Iran-Flagged Tankers Near Strait of Hormuz Amid Tensions
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U.S. forces disabled two Iran‑flagged oil tankers near the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, striking their smokestacks to stop them from docking at an Iranian port in violation of a U.S. naval blockade, Central Command (CENTCOM) said.nytimes +1 The move came amid renewed exchanges of fire in and around the waterway and as Washington awaited Tehran’s reply to a one‑page proposal to pause hostilities and reopen the strait.npr +1

CENTCOM identified the tankers as the M/T Sea Star III and M/T Sevda and said both were empty when hit.nytimes +1 U.S. officials described the action as enforcement of a blockade that has already redirected 57 commercial ships and disabled four vessels since it began, part of a wider campaign to pressure Iran over its nuclear program and regional activities.nytimes Iran condemned the strikes as a “reckless military adventure” that violated an April 8 ceasefire and undermined fragile talks over restoring traffic through the world’s most important oil chokepoint.npr

Ceasefire Under Strain as U.S. Tightens Blockade

The tanker strikes followed a tense 24 hours in which U.S. destroyers USS Truxtun, USS Rafael Peralta and USS Mason came under attack from Iranian missiles, drones and small boats in or near the Strait of Hormuz, according to CENTCOM, which said none of the American warships was hit.npr +1 U.S. forces responded with “self‑defense strikes” on Iranian military sites and then moved against the tankers they said were attempting to breach the blockade.nytimes +1

The Trump administration has framed the pressure campaign as leverage to force Iran into an interim deal that would reopen the strait for at least 30 days while broader issues, including Tehran’s enriched uranium stockpile, are negotiated.npr +1 President Donald Trump bluntly summarized the U.S. posture in a social‑media post reported by U.S. outlets: “If they don’t agree, the bombing starts.”navytimes Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi countered that “every time a diplomatic solution is on the table, the U.S. opts for a reckless military adventure,” accusing Washington of seeking advantage at the negotiating table through escalation.npr +1

Global Shipping and Oil Markets Feel the Shock

The latest strikes deepened uncertainty for commercial shipping already reeling from months of conflict in the Gulf. Major carriers and marine insurers have sharply curtailed transits, with one leading line, Hapag‑Lloyd, estimating the effective shutdown of the strait is costing it around $60 million per week.navytimes Maritime trackers say traffic through Hormuz fell by about 80% after earlier strikes on Iran, as shipowners rerouted vessels or turned off transponders to avoid becoming targets.foxnews

Oil markets reacted with renewed volatility. International benchmark Brent crude settled around $101.29 a barrel on Friday, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate closed near $95.42, both contracts posting gains on the day but losses of more than 6% for the week as traders weighed the prospect of a short‑term deal.apnews Analysts warned that any collapse of the ceasefire or damage to heavily loaded crude tankers could drive prices sharply higher and prolong disruptions, particularly for Asian importers reliant on Gulf supplies.apnews +1

China, a key buyer of Iranian oil, urged a comprehensive ceasefire and said it was “deeply distressed” by the escalation, after confirming a separate attack this week on a Chinese‑owned tanker near Hormuz.navytimes +1 Russia and European governments also called for restraint, with some European states quietly bolstering air and naval defenses in the region while avoiding direct participation in U.S. offensive operations.navytimes

The Bigger Picture

The clash over the Sea Star III and Sevda underscored how enforcement of a unilateral U.S. blockade and Iran’s efforts to assert control over Hormuz have turned a vital trade artery into a front line, with global energy costs and diplomatic calculations intertwined.nytimes +1 Whether the episode becomes a pivot toward an interim deal or the moment the April ceasefire unravels now hinges on Tehran’s response to Washington’s proposal — and on whether further attempts to move tankers in and out of Iran escalate from precision “disabling” strikes to catastrophic damage and broader war at sea.