US forces disable tanker M/T Lavine amid Iran blockade
U.S. Central Command said U.S. forces fired on and disabled the tanker M/T Lavine in the Gulf of Oman after the vessel ignored repeated warnings and tried at least four times to breach the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports. Captain Tim Hawkins, the CENTCOM spokesman, said the crew was warned repeatedly, failed to comply, and the ship’s engine room was struck, rendering the tanker inoperable.
The same day U.S. forces reported the interception and rerouting of twelve additional commercial ships that attempted to force the blockade. The U.S. announced that two of those vessels did not respond to warnings and were boarded to ensure compliance.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard warned residents of neighboring countries to stay away from U.S. bases, and U.S. embassies in the Middle East alerted Americans that evacuation options could become limited. Saudi Arabia also struck the Yemeni port city of Hodeida in retaliation for Houthi attacks on Saudi oil tankers.
In a related incident, Iranian media reported that a petroleum tanker exploded after hitting a naval mine in the Strait of Hormuz, describing it as an “offending tanker” that had left the designated navigation corridor.
Entities: Iran · M/T Lavine · Oman · Strait of Hormuz · United States (U.S. Central Command)
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Saudi Arabia struck the Yemeni port city of Hodeida in response to Houthi attacks on Saudi oil tankers. (Saudi-led coalition statements reported in news)
- [● 3 SOURCES] U.S. forces intercepted and redirected twelve commercial vessels that tried to force the naval blockade of Iran. (U.S. Central Command communications)
- [● 4 SOURCES] A petroleum tanker exploded after hitting a naval mine in the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iranian media. (Iranian media reports (Tasnim agency))
- [● 3 SOURCES] U.S. forces disabled the tanker M/T Lavine in the Gulf of Oman after it ignored repeated warnings and attempted to breach the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports at least four times. (U.S. Central Command, statements by Captain Tim Hawkins)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] U.S. embassies in the Middle East warned Americans that evacuation options could become limited. (U.S. diplomatic communications reported in news)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Iran’s Revolutionary Guard warned residents of neighboring countries to stay away from U.S. military bases. (Iranian Revolutionary Guard statements reported in news)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Iran’s Revolutionary Guard announced it intercepted four vessels attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz on a route it deemed illegal. (Iranian Revolutionary Guard statements reported in news)