Tensions between the United States and Iran have escalated once again after U.S. forces disabled an oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman that CENTCOM said was attempting to violate the ongoing blockade on Iran. According to U.S. officials, an F/A-18 Super Hornet launched from the USS Abraham Lincoln struck the Palau-flagged tanker M/T Marivex after its crew allegedly failed to comply with repeated warnings. CENTCOM says the vessel was prevented from reaching an Iranian port and described the action as part of its wider blockade enforcement campaign. Tehran has reacted sharply to the incident. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei accused the United States of coordinating closely with Israel and warned that continued military actions could undermine already fragile ceasefire efforts. Iranian officials argue that Washington is contributing to regional instability while simultaneously claiming to support diplomacy.
