Tanker disabled by US missile
US Forces Fire Hellfire Missile, Disabling Tanker Approaching Iran Amid Blockade
The U.S. Central Command says it disabled a Botswana-flagged, unladen oil tanker, M/T Lexie, after the crew repeatedly ignored warnings and attempted to sail toward Iran’s Kharg Island. CENTCOM says a U.S. aircraft fired a Hellfire missile into the tanker’s engine room, preventing it from reaching Iran. The incident is the sixth commercial vessel disabled since the U.S. began enforcing a blockade of Iranian ports on April 13, with U.S. forces also disabling six ships and redirecting more than 120 others. The blockade targets vessels entering or departing Iranian ports, and Kharg Island is described as Iran’s key crude export terminal handling the vast majority of its exports. Separate coverage focusing on market expectations said the missile action is seen as a high-impact event that reduced the odds of Strait of Hormuz traffic returning to normal by late July, reflecting heightened concerns over continued disruption.
Key Points
CENTCOM said the tanker’s crew “ignored repeated warnings,” and failed to comply with U.S. directions “multiple times over a 24-hour period” before the action was taken.
CENTCOM specifically described the weapon effect: a U.S. aircraft fired a Hellfire missile “into the ship’s engine room,” preventing the tanker from reaching Iran.
Officials said the Botswana-flagged M/T Lexie was “sailing without cargo” toward Kharg Island and was intercepted while “transiting international waters,” according to CENTCOM’s description.
CENTCOM announced the blockade on April 12, stating it would take effect the next day under a presidential proclamation, and that the operation followed ceasefire negotiations in Pakistan ending without a deal.
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