U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) reported on Wednesday that a U.S. aircraft fired Hellfire missiles at the oil tanker Belma in the Persian Gulf. According to military officials, the unladen vessel was targeted after it reportedly ignored multiple warnings while traveling toward Iran's Kharg Island oil terminal. The strike disabled the ship by hitting its smokestack; CENTCOM also reported redirecting two other commercial vessels that complied with instructions.
The military action follows President Donald Trump's Tuesday announcement to reimpose a naval blockade on Iranian ports. The White House stated the move was a response to alleged Iranian attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and a series of recent military exchanges. This decision ended a brief ceasefire agreement signed on June 17, which had temporarily lifted a previous blockade and eased long-standing oil sanctions.
During the ceasefire period, analysts from United Against Nuclear Iran and TankerTrackers.com estimate that Iran exported approximately 74 million barrels of oil, valued at roughly $6 billion. Iranian chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stated that during this window, oil was sold at prices 20% higher than prior to the conflict. Maritime data from Kpler indicates that traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has slowed significantly, with daily transits dropping to 11 on Wednesday compared to a pre-conflict average of 138.