US forces fire at, disable Iran-flagged tanker trying to evade blockade

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 Navy reporter at Military Times, where he covers issues directly affecting service members and their families, as well as breaking news.

美国军方宣布，周三，美军拦截并击沉了一艘悬挂伊朗国旗的空油轮，该油轮违反美国海军封锁，驶向伊朗港口。

据美国中央司令部消息，美国中央司令部军方观察到M/T Hasna号油轮正驶往阿曼湾方向，并在采取行动前多次发出警告。

帖子中写道：“在哈斯纳号油轮的船员多次拒绝服从警告后，美军使用从亚伯拉罕·林肯号航空母舰（CVN 72）起飞的美国海军F/A-18超级大黄蜂战斗机上的20毫米机炮发射数发炮弹，使该油轮的舵失效。”

4月12日，美国总统唐纳德·特朗普在Truth Social上宣布，美国将拦截试图进出伊朗港口的船只。随后，美国海军封锁了霍尔木兹海峡。

美国中央司令部于周一开始支持“自由行动”，这是一项旨在保护通过霍尔木兹海峡的商船的军事行动。

周一，美国摧毁了伊朗伊斯兰革命卫队向美国护送通过海峡的船只发射的六艘伊朗小型船只，以及巡航导弹和无人机。

尽管发生了袭击事件，但据参谋长联席会议主席丹·凯恩将军周二在华盛顿对记者表示，已经持续四周的停火协议仍然有效。

然而，“自由计划”却昙花一现。

周二，唐纳德·特朗普总统在 Truth Social 上宣布，由于美国正努力与伊朗达成协议，该行动已暂停“一段时间”。

据报道，截至周三，美国和伊朗正在就签署一份结束战争的备忘录进行谈判。

目前，在霍尔木兹海峡周围驻扎着一支由海军军舰、陆军攻击直升机、空军战斗机和 15000 名军人组成的庞大舰队。

Riley Ceder 是《军事时报》的海军记者，他负责报道直接影响军人及其家属的问题以及突发新闻。