Politics
US Central Command Disables Tanker Attempting to Breach Naval Blockade on Iran
July 15, 2026 at 11:25 PM
The US military has reinstated a naval blockade on Iranian ports and disabled a tanker that ignored warnings while sailing toward an Iranian island.
- US Central Command announced it reinstated a naval blockade on ships travelling to and from Iranian ports, effective 4:00 p.m. Eastern time on July 14, 2026.
- An American aircraft fired Hellfire missiles at the smokestack of the Panama-flagged tanker M/T Belma, disabling it after it ignored multiple warnings.
- The tanker was sailing in international waters toward Iran's Kharg Island, attempting to breach the US blockade, according to Central Command.
- During the first 24 hours of the blockade, US forces redirected two commercial vessels that complied and disabled one ship that did not comply.