U.S. forces on Wednesday opened fire with missiles to disable an Iran-bound merchant vessel they say was trying to run a blockade in the Arabian Gulf.
The Curacao-flagged M/T Belma was transiting international waters toward Iran‘s Kharg Island crude oil terminal, U.S. Central Command said. “The commercial vessel ignored multiple warnings as it attempted to violate the U.S. blockade. A U.S. aircraft disabled the vessel after firing Hellfire missiles into the ship’s smokestack.
“The ship is no longer transiting to Iran.”
The U.S. deployed a blockade of Iranian ports and coastal areas July 14 amid an exchange of heightened attacks as the ceasefire between Washignton and Tehran fell apart.
The U.S. said it has also redirected two compliant commercial vessels in that time.
Crude oil futures stabilized around $78 a barrel as a steady but reduced stream of commercial ships transits the Strait of Hormuz, according to the Joint Maritime Information Center.
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