A US military aircraft fired Hellfire missiles into the smokestack of the Curaçao-flagged tanker M/T Belma on Wednesday, disabling the vessel after it ignored repeated warnings and attempted to breach the American naval blockade of Iran. According to US Central Command, the empty tanker was transiting international waters towards Kharg Island, Iran’s main oil export terminal, when it was intercepted. The action marks the first time a commercial ship has been disabled since Washington reimposed the blockade on 14 July, following the collapse of a fragile ceasefire. Centcom said two other vessels complied with instructions and altered course during the same 24-hour period.

Viewed from Washington, the renewed blockade is an instrument to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and deny Tehran the oil revenues that sustain its military operations. US officials have described the enforcement as a response to Iranian interference with commercial shipping in the strategic waterway, through which roughly one-fifth of global oil trade normally passes. Centcom stated that its forces remain “vigilant and prepared to ensure full compliance,” and the Pentagon has launched additional strikes against Iranian military capabilities linked to threats against maritime traffic. The previous blockade, in place for nearly two months before being lifted in mid-June under a temporary memorandum of understanding, saw 142 vessels redirected and nine non-compliant ships disabled.

Tehran has condemned the blockade as unlawful and accused Washington of shattering the bilateral memorandum that had paused hostilities and opened a 60-day window for negotiations on Iran’s nuclear programme and regional security. Iranian officials say the US has repeatedly violated the agreement, including by targeting civilian infrastructure. In retaliation for the initial US strikes on 7–8 July, Iran attacked American bases in Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan. The Iranian president has declared the ceasefire no longer in effect, and Tehran has warned that it could expand energy disruptions beyond the Strait of Hormuz.

Regional analysts note that the targeting of a vessel bound for Kharg Island, which handles the majority of Iran’s seaborne crude exports, carries direct implications for global energy markets. The incident underscores the rapid unravelling of the diplomatic track that briefly de-escalated tensions in June. With the 60-day negotiation window stalled and both sides exchanging military blows, the Strait of Hormuz remains a flashpoint. The US has indicated it will continue to enforce the blockade, while Iran maintains its right to respond. No new diplomatic initiative has been announced.