US Bombards Iranian Tanker Ships in Strait of Hormuz

Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz have intensified once again. The United States military has deployed fighter jets to neutralise two Iranian-flagged tankers accused of attempting to breach Washington’s naval blockade on Tehran’s ports.

According to detikNews on Saturday (9/5/2026), US Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jets fired upon the tankers M/T Sea Star III and M/T Sevda on Friday (8/5) local time.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees US military operations in the Middle East, stated that the two vessels were disabled by “firing precision ammunition at their smokestacks, preventing the non-compliant ships from entering Iran”.

CENTCOM also released video footage showing the moment of the attack on the two tankers.

With this latest incident, the US has now forcibly stopped four ships alleged to have attempted to violate the naval blockade around the Strait of Hormuz since the policy was enacted on 13 April.

US Has Stopped Iranian Ships Four Times

Previously, on Wednesday (6/5) local time, US F/A-18 jets also disabled another Iranian-flagged vessel, M/T Hasna.

The ship was halted with 20 mm cannon fire directed at its steering section.

Another incident occurred on 19 April involving the Iranian-flagged vessel M/V Touska. The ship was accused of violating the blockade and ignoring warnings from a US warship.

At that time, the US warship ordered the crew to evacuate the engine room before striking it several times with 5-inch weapons, rendering the ship inoperable.

Iran Closes Strait of Hormuz

Iran has effectively closed the strategic waterway of the Strait of Hormuz, the main route for global oil and gas shipments, following large-scale attacks by the US and Israel on 28 February.

Washington responded by imposing a blockade on Tehran’s ports to pressure Iran into reopening the Strait of Hormuz.