The US military fired a Hellfire missile into the engine room of a Botswana-flagged oil tanker in the Arabian Gulf on Tuesday, disabling the vessel after its crew repeatedly ignored a 24-hour series of warnings to halt its transit towards Iran. The US military enforced its ongoing maritime blockade against Iran, disabling a commercial tanker in international waters after a 24-hour standoff.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) released video footage and a statement saying the strike was carried out after the ship's crew ignored repeated warnings and failed to comply with US blockade instructions over a 24-hour period while transiting towards Kharg Island.
The targeted strike successfully disabled the Botswana-flagged M/T Lexie in international waters, preventing it from reaching its destination. "A US military aircraft ultimately disabled the vessel by firing a Hellfire missile directly into its engine room, successfully preventing the tanker from reaching Iran," it added.
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) June 2, 2026
The interdiction is part of a strict naval blockade initiated by President Donald Trump on April 13, aimed at halting all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports to pressure Tehran into negotiating a peace agreement on American terms. Since the blockade's inception, US forces have disabled six commercial vessels and redirected 122 others.
The enforcement action comes amid a fragile weeks-long ceasefire embedded within a larger, three-month-old conflict triggered by joint US and Israeli airstrikes against Iran.
While tenuous diplomatic talks continue between Washington and Tehran, both nations maintain active, aggressive military postures. US officials have maintained that the blockade will remain firmly in place until a formal peace agreement is secured.
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