The United States launched Hellfire missiles at an oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday night, disabling the vessel as tensions with Iran continue to escalate. The US Central Command (Centcom) stated that the Curacao-flagged merchant vessel, the Belma, had ignored multiple warnings while attempting to sail towards Iran's Kharg Island before military intervention became necessary.
This strike marks the fifth night of US operations in the Strait of Hormuz since the reimposition of a naval blockade on Iran's ports. Washington asserts the blockade is intended to reopen the vital waterway, which Iran had previously closed.
The US military action occurs amid reports that President Donald Trump is considering an expansion of military operations within Iran. According to The Wall Street Journal, Trump convened a meeting in the Situation Room on Tuesday evening to discuss potential troop deployments to seize Kharg Island, Iran's primary oil export terminal, and other territories along the strait. Discussions also reportedly included bombing a tunnel complex at Pickaxe Mountain.
In response to the strikes, Tehran's top negotiator, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, declared an "essential and existential war with America." Iranian army spokesman Brigadier General Mohammad Akraminia asserted that the Strait of Hormuz, which handles a significant portion of global oil and gas shipments, is a "red line" for Iran and that the country maintains firm control over it.
"The Americans thought that by attacking some of our bases on the southern coasts of the country, they could take control of this strategic strait," Akraminia stated. "However, the Islamic Republic of Iran has the ability to exert control over the Strait of Hormuz from every single point of its territory, and this matter is never dependent on coasts and islands."
US officials revealed that strikes aimed at reopening the strait are also targeting Iranian military capabilities ahead of potentially more complex operations. Iran's military has vowed to resist and neutralize what it calls American interventions in the region. The Iranian military spokesperson indicated that reopening the Strait of Hormuz hinges on the US complying with a previously signed memorandum of understanding and implementing "Iranian regulations" for ship traffic.
President Trump had previously threatened to target Iranian power plants and bridges if Tehran did not resume negotiations. In response, Iran claimed to have targeted US bases in Kuwait and Jordan, issuing warnings to neighboring countries against allowing the US to conduct attacks from their soil.
Sirens were heard in Bahrain, and Kuwait reported responding to "hostile drone threats" on Thursday. Iran's army stated it launched ballistic missiles at the Al Azraq Air Base in Jordan, while the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) claimed to have destroyed a satellite communications center and early warning radar at Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, as well as a US military pier in the Al Shuaiba area. Bahraini defense systems intercepted and destroyed Iranian aerial attacks targeting the kingdom.
The escalating conflict and Iran's threats to disrupt regional energy exports and infrastructure raise concerns about a potential return to full-scale war. Analysts suggest Iran might leverage its Houthi allies in Yemen to target the Bab el-Mandeb gateway to the Red Sea, potentially jeopardizing another critical global energy artery.