US missiles disable tanker bound for Iran

The US military has disabled an oil tanker sailing towards Iran’s main crude export terminal, marking the first publicly disclosed attack on a commercial vessel since Washington renewed its blockade of Iranian ports.

A US aircraft fired Hellfire missiles into the smokestack of the empty, Curaçao-flagged M/T Belma after the vessel ignored repeated warnings while crossing international waters towards Kharg Island. The strike left the tanker unable to continue its voyage, while no information was immediately released about casualties or serious pollution.

The action represents a sharp escalation in Washington’s effort to prevent ships from entering or leaving Iranian ports. Earlier enforcement measures had concentrated on warnings, interception and diversion rather than direct attacks on merchant vessels.

US forces began renewed blockade enforcement at 4pm Eastern Time on Tuesday, July 14. During the first 24 hours, two commercial ships complied with instructions and were redirected, while the Belma became the first non-compliant vessel to be disabled. The blockade covers ports, oil terminals and coastal areas, regardless of a vessel’s flag. Ships travelling through the Strait of Hormuz to non-Iranian destinations are not formally covered.

The Belma is subject to US sanctions, although it was not carrying crude when it was struck. Its destination, Kharg Island, handles the bulk of Iran’s seaborne oil exports and is among the country’s most strategically important energy facilities. Any sustained interruption there could restrict Tehran’s ability to earn foreign currency and supply customers that continue to buy its oil.

The attack came alongside another wave of US air strikes on Iranian military positions. Targets included coastal defence installations, missile facilities and sites linked to threats against commercial shipping. Operations extended north towards Tehran and Semnan province, which contains elements of Iran’s ballistic missile and space infrastructure.

Iran responded with missile and drone attacks directed at Bahrain, Jordan and Kuwait, all of which host American forces or military facilities. Authorities reported no immediate casualties from those strikes. Iranian officials have said the latest exchanges have killed more than 35 people and injured over 300 inside the country.

The expanding confrontation has further weakened an interim understanding intended to halt the war and reopen negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme. Tehran argues that Washington has failed to honour the arrangement, while US President Donald Trump says military pressure is necessary to restore unrestricted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and force Iran back into negotiations.

Iran effectively choked traffic through the waterway after the US-Israel war began on February 28. Some vessels later resumed voyages along a route close to Oman under American military supervision, but attacks on ships using that corridor prompted carriers to reassess the risks. Shipowners have also faced higher insurance premiums, delays and uncertainty over whether naval escorts can provide adequate protection.

The Strait of Hormuz carried roughly one-fifth of global oil and gas supplies before the conflict. Disruptions have pushed Brent crude above $85 a barrel, more than 15 per cent higher than its pre-war level, although prices remain below the peak of almost $120 reached during the most intense phase of the fighting.

The US blockade adds another layer of risk by forcing commercial operators to navigate competing restrictions imposed by Washington and Tehran. Vessels complying with Iran’s orders could face American interception, while those participating in US-guided movements risk Iranian attack. The danger is particularly acute for tankers, which can cause extensive environmental damage if struck while carrying crude or refined products.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has threatened to disrupt energy exports across the Middle East if its own shipments are prevented from leaving. Such action could affect producers including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Iraq and Qatar, whose exports depend wholly or partly on routes through or near the strait.

Washington has presented the Belma strike as controlled enforcement designed to stop the ship without sinking it. Firing into the smokestack appears intended to damage propulsion or exhaust systems while limiting harm to the hull. The use of missiles against a civilian-operated vessel nevertheless raises legal and security questions over proportionality, crew safety and the treatment of neutral shipping during a blockade that has not been authorised by the United Nations Security Council.