CENTCOM Disables Two Empty Iranian Tankers Breaching Naval Blockade
On May 8, 2026, U.S. forces disabled two empty Iranian crude oil tankers, the Sea Star III and the Sevda, as they attempted to breach the naval blockade line en route to Iran. U.S. Central Command reported that the vessels were struck by Navy F/A-18 aircraft after ignoring multiple warnings. Currently, over 70 tankers carrying approximately 166 million barrels of oil are being prevented from entering or leaving Iranian ports as part of the U.S.-led Project Freedom maritime enforcement operation.
Date: May 8, 2026
Location: Oman
Conflict: US-Iran Conflict
Category: naval
Severity: HIGH
Source: JINSA