Iranian Warships Approached US Tanker in Strait of Hormuz

Iranian warships approached a US tanker in the Strait of Hormuz and demanded it stop, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal. The incident occurred amid increasing tensions in the region.

The tanker ignored the request and was subsequently escorted by a US warship to a safe location. The UK Maritime Trade Operations reported that small armed vessels attempted to stop a ship, which continued on its course.

CENTCOM, the US military command for the Middle East, stated that forces of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) harassed a US-flagged commercial vessel. Two IRGC vessels and an Iranian drone approached the M/V Stena Imperative, threatening to board and seize the tanker.

The destroyer USS McFaul (DDG 74) escorted the Stena Imperative with defensive air support, resulting in the de-escalation of the situation.