U.S. military forces intercepted and incapacitated an Iranian-flagged unladen oil tanker Wednesday that was sailing toward an Iranian port in violation of the U.S. Navy blockade, the service announced.
U.S. Central Command military forces observed the M/T Hasna transiting in the direction of the Gulf of Oman and issued multiple warnings before taking action, according to a U.S. Central Command post.
“After Hasna’s crew failed to comply with repeated warnings, U.S. forces disabled the tanker’s rudder by firing several rounds from the 20mm cannon gun of a U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet launched from USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72),” the post read.
The U.S. Navy instituted a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz on April 12 after President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that the U.S. would intercept vessels attempting to enter or exit Iranian ports.
U.S. Central Command began supporting Project Freedom on Monday, a military operation aimed at defending commercial shipping vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
On Monday, the U.S. destroyed six Iranian small boats, as well as cruise missiles and drones, that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched against ships the U.S. was escorting through the strait.
Despite the attack, the four-week-old ceasefire remains intact, according to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine, who spoke to reporters on Tuesday in Washington.
Project Freedom, however, was short-lived.
President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social Tuesday that the operation was paused for a “short period of time” as the U.S. worked toward an agreement with Iran.
The U.S. and Iran are reportedly in talks to sign a memorandum that will end the war, as of Wednesday.
There is currently an armada of Navy warships, Army attack helicopters, Air Force fighter jets and 15,000 service members stationed around the Strait of Hormuz.
Riley Ceder is a reporter at Military Times, where he covers breaking news, criminal justice, investigations, and cyber. He previously worked as an investigative practicum student at The Washington Post, where he contributed to the Abused by the Badge investigation.
