US Hits Iran-Flagged Oil Tankers While Peace Talks Continue

U.S. fighter jets fired precision munitions into the smokestacks of two empty Iranian-flagged oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman on Friday, disabling them and underscoring that Washington’s naval blockade around Iranian ports is not pausing for diplomacy.

Central Command confirmed the strikes, noting that a third Iranian-flagged vessel had already been taken out earlier in the week. “All three vessels are no longer transiting to Iran,” the command stated. The tankers carried no cargo, so no oil was lost, yet the action sends an unmistakable signal that even empty ships approaching Iranian ports will face consequences.

At the same time, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters in Rome that Washington expects an Iranian response to a proposed agreement “today” that could halt the conflict and restart nuclear negotiations. “The hope is it’s something that can put us into a serious process in negotiation,” Rubio said. The contradiction is glaring: American warplanes are tightening the noose on Tehran’s shipping network while diplomats insist a breakthrough is close.

The Strait of Hormuz, which normally carries roughly 20 percent of global seaborne oil trade, has been effectively shut by Iran since the war began in late February. The U.S. blockade has triggered a severe supply shock felt in oil markets, refining systems, and fuel prices worldwide. Iranian exports have already fallen sharply as storage tanks fill and tanker traffic slows.

These strikes mark a shift from symbolic escalation to direct pressure on logistics and trade flows. The U.S. now appears intent on making any vessel think twice before heading toward Iranian ports, regardless of whether it carries oil. Oil prices remained relatively stable Friday morning only because traders are betting that a diplomatic deal might arrive before the shipping crisis worsens.

The question now is whether Rubio’s hoped-for “serious process” can survive repeated kinetic reminders that the blockade continues. If Iran’s response does not arrive today, or if it falls short, the military pressure on its shipping network will almost certainly intensify.

Original reporting: OilPrice.com.