Targeted by Missile, US Claims to Disable Tanker Forcing Iran Blockade

The United States military claims to have disabled an empty oil tanker that was sailing towards Kharg Island. It is the first vessel to be disabled by US forces since the American naval blockade of Iranian ports was reimposed.

“US Central Command (CENTCOM) monitored the Curaçao-flagged vessel M/T Belma as it traversed international waters towards Kharg Island,” US Central Command said, as reported by CNN on Thursday (16/7/2026).

US Central Command said the vessel had ignored the warnings issued and was ultimately disabled using a missile.

“The commercial vessel ignored multiple warnings while attempting to violate the US blockade. A US military aircraft disabled the vessel after firing a Hellfire missile at its smokestack. The vessel is no longer continuing its voyage towards Iran,” it said.

US Central Command added that during the first 24 hours of the naval blockade’s enforcement, it had diverted the course of two compliant commercial vessels and disabled one non-compliant vessel.

During the previous blockade, which was briefly lifted after the US and Iran agreed to a memorandum of understanding in mid-June, the US claimed to have diverted 142 vessels and disabled nine non-compliant ships over a period of two months.