Strait of Hormuz Tensions: Iranian Gunboats Confront U.S.-Flagged Tanker

In the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian gunboats approached the U.S.-flagged tanker Stena Imperative, instructing it to stop. The tanker avoided boarding, continuing its journey with a U.S. warship escort. The incident highlights ongoing tensions in a strategic oil export route, involving recent naval incidents between the U.S. and Iran.

In a strategic play that underscores the persistent tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, a group of Iranian gunboats approached a U.S.-flagged tanker, the Stena Imperative, on Tuesday. The vessels demanded it halt its engines, intending to board the ship.

According to the maritime security group Vanguard, the tanker managed to evade capture by accelerating and was safely escorted by a U.S. warship. The incident occurred without entering Iranian territorial waters, with an American official later confirming its U.S. registration.

This latest encounter in the traffic-heavy Strait of Hormuz, a pivotal channel for oil exports from major OPEC members, follows a pattern of regional maritime skirmishes. Reports by Iran's Fars News Agency claimed the vessel had encroached into Iranian waters but left without incident upon receiving warnings.