Iranian gunboats try to stop a US-flagged tanker in the Strait of Hormuz - report
Six Iranian vessels ordered the tanker to stop, which sped away and was escorted by a US warship amid rising regional tensions
Six Iranian gunboats attempted to stop a US-flagged oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz early Tuesday, US officials and maritime-security sources confirmed to the Wall Street Journal on Tuesday. The vessels ordered the tanker to kill its engines and prepare to be boarded, but the ship sped up and was later escorted to safety by a US warship.
Maritime-security firm Vanguard Tech reported that the gunboats were armed with 50-caliber guns and approached the tanker as it entered the strategic waterway. “Given increased military activity and elevated regional tensions, the potential for misjudgment cannot be discounted,” Vanguard said in a note to clients.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations, affiliated with the British Royal Navy, also confirmed that small armed boats tried to halt a ship in the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday. The assailants were not formally identified. Commodities data supplier Kpler said the tanker was traveling from the United Arab Emirates to Bahrain, home to a key US naval base. Its owner, Denmark’s Stena Bulk, declined to comment.
The incident comes as US and Iranian officials exchange threats while also exploring a potential diplomatic solution. Iranian officials reportedly threatened to withdraw from talks with US special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, scheduled for Friday in Turkey, according to people familiar with the matter.
The Strait of Hormuz, a crucial maritime passage for global oil shipments, has been the site of past incidents involving Iranian harassment of commercial vessels. In November, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy seized a Cyprus-flagged tanker before releasing it a few days later.
The US has reinforced its military presence in the region, deploying the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier battle group, F-35 jets, and additional missile defenses. A planned Revolutionary Guard live-fire drill in the strait was canceled following a US warning. The developments reflect heightened tensions in the Persian Gulf as Washington weighs potential action amid ongoing protests and instability in Iran.
Analysts say the escalation underscores the risk of miscalculations in a strategic waterway critical to global energy supply. Both sides continue to monitor the situation closely as diplomatic and military efforts unfold simultaneously.