The United States military on Friday carried out a fresh round of airstrikes targeting several empty oil tankers attempting to cross the naval blockade around Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz, according to a report by Fox News. Quoting senior US officials, the report said the vessels targeted were “Very Large Crude Carriers” (VLCCs) that were allegedly trying to return to Iran despite the ongoing restrictions imposed by Washington. ALSO READ | Iran's Araghchi Blames US For Derailing Peace Talks — 'Every Time A Solution Is On Table...' The exact number of ships hit and the extent of damage caused in the strikes were not immediately clear. The latest escalation comes amid rising tensions in the Gulf region, where the US has deployed nearly 15,000 troops to enforce the blockade that came into effect on April 13. In a statement posted on X, US Central Command (CENTCOM) claimed that more than 70 commercial tankers are currently being prevented from entering or leaving Iranian ports. According to CENTCOM, the ships collectively have the capacity to transport over 166 million barrels of Iranian oil valued at more than $13 billion. There are currently more than 70 tankers that U.S. forces are preventing from entering or leaving Iranian ports. These commercial ships have the capacity to transport over 166 million barrels of Iranian oil worth an estimated $13 billion-plus. pic.twitter.com/VBKfDwMwqJ— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) May 8, 2026 Neither CENTCOM nor the Pentagon issued an official response on the reported strikes. Meanwhile, Iran's Mehr News Agency reported multiple loud explosions in Sirik, a coastal town in Hormozgan province along the Strait of Hormuz. ALSO READ | Iran Says US Proposal To End War 'Under Review'; Rubio Expects Tehran's Response Today Some reports linked the blasts to warning fire by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) near the strategic waterway. Despite repeated confrontations in recent days, Washington has not formally declared an end to the ceasefire with Tehran. Analysts warn that continued military activity around Hormuz could risk triggering a wider regional conflict. Essential Business Intelligence, Continuous LIVE TV, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
Iranian Official
The Iranian government condemns the latest US airstrikes on empty oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz as a direct act of foreign aggression and violation of Iran's sovereign rights to its territorial waters and resources. Despite the illegal naval blockade enforced by American forces since April 13, Iranian vessels are resisting these hostile restrictions to uphold the nation's independence and economic access. Tehran views this escalation, backed by thousands of US troops, as part of Washington's ongoing campaign to strangle Iran's legitimate oil exports.
Israeli
US strikes on VLCC tankers breaching the Strait of Hormuz blockade directly disrupt Iran's oil revenues, which sustain its nuclear ambitions and proxy armies encircling Israel. These networks—Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis—represent an existential threat, enabling multi-front attacks designed to destroy the Jewish state. Enforcing the restrictions remains a vital defensive necessity to starve Tehran's war machine before it can fully mobilize.
Neutral
US military forces carried out airstrikes on oil tankers near the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, according to a Fox News report citing senior US officials. The report stated that the targeted vessels were Very Large Crude Carriers attempting to approach Iranian ports. US Central Command reported that more than 70 commercial tankers are being prevented from entering or leaving Iranian ports, with a collective capacity exceeding 166 million barrels of oil valued at over $13 billion.
Western
US Central Command conducted precision airstrikes on multiple empty Very Large Crude Carriers attempting to breach the naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, neutralizing Iranian efforts to evade restrictions and sustain oil revenues that fund regional threats. With nearly 15,000 US troops enforcing the operation since April 13, CENTCOM reports over 70 tankers—capable of transporting 166 million barrels valued at more than $13 billion—remain blocked from Iranian ports. These targeted actions support strategic objectives to degrade Tehran's economic capacity for destabilizing activities while minimizing broader disruptions.
Pro-Peace
US airstrikes targeting empty oil tankers attempting to breach the naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz risk widening a conflict that already deploys nearly 15,000 troops and traps vessels holding over 166 million barrels of Iranian oil, deepening economic isolation that fuels civilian hardship through shortages and lost livelihoods. Such military enforcement, amid unverified damage reports, prioritizes confrontation over the diplomatic channels Iranian officials say Washington has repeatedly undermined. Renewed negotiations remain essential to prevent further escalation and spare regional populations from the mounting human costs of blockade and strikes.
Global South
US airstrikes on empty VLCCs attempting to breach the naval blockade around Iranian ports represent a blatant assertion of neo-colonial control over the Strait of Hormuz, denying Iran sovereign access to its own energy resources and global trade routes. Backed by 15,000 troops and unilateral restrictions since April 13, these actions bypass multilateral bodies, exposing institutional paralysis in defending non-aligned states against hegemonic economic coercion. Over 70 tankers remain trapped, their 166 million barrels of capacity withheld to safeguard US dominance rather than regional stability.
The United States military on Friday carried out a fresh round of airstrikes targeting several empty oil tankers attempting to cross the naval blockade around Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz, according to a report by Fox News. Quoting senior US officials, the report said th…
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A tanker identified as the Kaifan was struck by an unknown projectile northeast of Oman’s Limah in the Strait of Hormuz, according to a July 21 report from UK Maritime Trade Operations. No ships were observed transiting the strait that day. Attribution of the strike and links to prior incidents have not been confirmed by the vessel’s owner.
Goldman Sachs has projected Brent crude averaging $80 per barrel in the fourth quarter and $75 in the following year, conditional on reduced Middle East tensions, while noting upside risks from potential shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz or Red Sea.
Brent prices rose above $91 per barrel amid recent U.S.-Iran exchanges and Houthi threats to Saudi shipments before edging lower on Tuesday. A senior Iranian official told Reuters that mediators had proposed a 10-day ceasefire to preserve an interim agreement.
US forces struck the tanker Settebello in the Gulf of Oman on June 10, killing three Indian crew members when munitions hit the engine room and adjacent areas. Maritime tracking data indicate the vessel had transported Iranian oil under US sanctions for several years and conducted offshore transfers prior to the strike.
The US military described the action as a precision operation, while reports note the ship was stationary at the time.
Iranian officials reported strikes on US radar and air defense sites in Kuwait and Bahrain, along with the interception of two oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. The United States conducted strikes on Iranian targets following the deaths of three US soldiers, with the Pentagon stating the actions aimed to degrade capabilities affecting shipping.
Houthi forces in Yemen announced plans to blockade Saudi ports, while both US and Iranian leaders issued statements on further escalation.