Heavily-Armed Iranian Gunboats Attempt To Seize US Tanker

Iranian gunboats attempted to seize a U.S.-flagged oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday amid escalating tensions between Tehran and Washington.

The tanker, identified as the Stena Imperative, was transiting international waters around the Strait of Hormuz when it was approached by armed vessels linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced. The heavily-armed gunboats threatened to board and seize the ship, but the tanker maintained its course and is now under escort by the guided-missile destroyer USS McFaul and defensive air support from the U.S. Air Force.

“CENTCOM forces are operating at the highest levels of professionalism and ensuring the safety of U.S. personnel, ships, and aircraft in the Middle East,” said CENTCOM spokesman Capt. Tim Hawkins. “Continued Iranian harassment and threats in international waters and airspace will not be tolerated. Iran’s unnecessary aggression near U.S. forces, regional partners and commercial vessels increases risks of collision, miscalculation, and regional destabilization.”

The U.K. Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), which is affiliated with the British Royal Navy, also reported the encounter earlier Tuesday. UKMTO said the vessel had been hailed by multiple small armed boats. Authorities are investigating the incident, according to the statement, while warning ships transiting the area to exercise caution and report suspicious activity.

Iran’s state-linked Fars News Agency later claimed the tanker had entered Iranian territorial waters without authorization and was intercepted as a result, according to CBS News.