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'Sporadic Clashes' In Strait Of Hormuz After US Attacks & Disables Two Iran Vessels Trying To Breach Blockade

Tyler Durden's Photo
by Tyler Durden
Authored...

Summary

  • Sporadic clashes between Iranian Armed Forces and US vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, few details given.

  • Two more empty Iranian-flagged tankers come under US aerial attack for attempting to breach blockade.

  • Iran says US violated ceasefire after last night's US action, which resulted in Iranian military deaths & injures. However, Tehran still reviewing US peace proposal.

  • Tasnim news agency: Iran has seized an oil tanker, accusing it of "attempting to disrupt oil exports and the interests of the Iranian nation."

US x Iran permanent peace deal by December 31, 2026?
Yes 74% · No 27%
View full market & trade on Polymarket

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Ongoing Sporadic Clashes in Strait: Iran Media

Iran's Fars reports late morning (US time): Sporadic clashes between Iranian Armed Forces and US vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. Amid the fog of war, nothing in the way of details initially emerged. 

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei has condemned US "aggression and adventurism" but has also confirmed that Tehran is still reviewing the US proposal and is still going to respond soon. Al Jazeera cites state media on emerging deaths from the Iranian side:

Mohammad Radmehr, governor of Minab County in southern Iran, says he has received word that rescuers have found the body of one of five sailors reported missing after a US attack on an Iranian vessel overnight in and around the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran’s Mehr news agency quoted Radmehr as saying that search teams are continuing efforts to find the four remaining missing sailors. Earlier, as we reported, Radmehr said 10 sailors were also injured during the naval confrontation.

Details of Fresh US Airstrikes on Tankers

The Wall Street Journal has details (based on CENTCOM press release) after two Iranian-flagged tankers came under US attack for attempting to breach the US blockade:

U.S. military forces carried out airstrikes on Friday, hitting and disabling two empty Iranian-flagged oil tankers attempting to circumvent the American naval blockade against Iranian ports, according to U.S. Central Command

The vessels struck were very large crude carriers attempting to return to an Iranian port on the Gulf of Oman, the M/T Sea Star III and M/T Sevda, according to a statement from Centcom.

A U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet jet fighter from the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush fired precision munitions into their smokestacks, disabling the tankers, Centcom said.

It marks third time the US has attacked commercial vessels for trying to break through to Iranian ports, following a Wednesday incident which saw a US Navy jet destroy rudder of an Iranian tanker under similar circumstances. 

CENTCOM releases fresh footage of the airstrike on the Iranian-flagged M/T Sea Star III:

Iran: Last Night's US Action 'Gross Violation of Ceasefire'

Iran's stance is that the overnight US attacks on coastal sites near Hormuz marks a breach and collapse of the ceasefire, even as President Trump maintains that it was not, only calling it a "love tap". Still, Iran's Foreign Minister has clarified that Iran's response to the US plan to end the war is under review - and so efforts to get back to the table have not been totally abandoned.

The IRGC Navy on Friday is warning vessels to stay away from US warships in the Strait of Hormuz, amid concerns a return to full war could be imminent. Earlier Friday explosions were heard in Iran's Sirik city near the Strait of Hormuz - though the cause has not been given. This as the US military has confirmed additional airstrikes on empty tankers attempting to break the US naval blockade while en route to Iranian ports, per Fox News.

Statement from Iran FM:

Iranian Army Commandos Seize Oil Tanker Over Export Disruption Claims 

The semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that Iran has seized an oil tanker, accusing it of "attempting to disrupt oil exports and the interests of the Iranian nation." Tasnim did not elaborate on the seizure, but Iran's official state news agency, the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), stated that the Iranian military directed the tanker to Iran's southern coast. The report noted that the tanker was carrying Iranian crude oil.

"Army commandos seized this violating oil tanker carrying a cargo of the Islamic Republic of Iran's oil, which was trying to harm and disrupt oil exports and the interests of the Iranian nation by exploiting regional conditions," IRNA stated. Earlier, US forces struck Iranian missile and drone launch sites and other military assets after CENTCOM reported that Iranian forces launched a missile and a one-way attack drone barrage at three US warships transiting the Homruz chokepoint. No US warships were hit.

Press TV reported overnight that Tehran said US forces targeted two of its oil tankers in the Hormuz area. The outlet also said the US hit civilian areas along its southern coast and on Qeshm Island "with the cooperation of some regional countries." The United Arab Emirates, which has been hit hard by Iran's retaliatory strikes, said earlier that its air defenses were intercepting missiles and drones targeting the country.

President Trump stated overnight that the month-long ceasefire remains in effect, but warned Tehran that future airstrikes would be harder and more violent if it does not quickly accept a peace deal to end the war and reopen the Hormuz chokepoint.

Polymarket:

Strait of Hormuz traffic returns to normal by end of May?
Yes 28% · No 73%
View full market & trade on Polymarket

Overnight geopolitical wrap:

UBS analyst Dominic Ellis provided a summary of the UBS Energy Research team's call with Amena Bakr, head of Kpler's Middle East and OPEC+ Research, about the UAE and OPEC:

While the UAE's exit from OPEC erodes the group's ability to control the oil price in the longer term (UAE is around 30% of spare capacity), there is limited risk of the group splintering, according to an expert speaking to UBS. The speaker said the Iran conflict is likely to lead to significant investment in new pipeline (and perhaps export) capacity to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, but it will take 2-3 years at least for meaningful developments. The ability to return production to pre-war levels varies significantly: Saudi Arabia and the UAE can get there within weeks, but Iraq and Kuwait might take up to 6 months given the less orderly shutdown processes they were forced into by the conflict. The speaker estimates that the UAE has capacity close to 5mb/d, versus the current 2.1mb/d, but will likely ramp up only gradually to avoid a price war with Saudi.

In markets, Brent crude futures are trading around $100 a barrel, while WTI futures are trading around $94 a barrel.

More Regional Developments

via Newsquawk...

Reports surrounding a potential deal:

  • Iran is reviewing the US response to the 14-point proposal and is expected to formally respond on Friday, according to CCTV citing Pakistani sources.
  • Any agreement with Iran would be bad for Israel, even if it includes an agreement to eliminate enriched uranium, Israeli press reported citing an official.
  • Iran and the US are discussing a one-page plan for both sides to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end hostilities for 30 days while they try to reach a comprehensive deal, NYT reported. Three senior Iranian officials say Tehran and the United States are discussing a one-page plan for both sides to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end hostilities for 30 days while they try to reach a comprehensive deal. The talks over a short-term agreement are continuing, the officials said, with negotiators trading proposals over how to describe the framework for a potential permanent deal. The three Iranian officials said a key obstacle was the US demand for commitments in advance on the fate of Iran’s nuclear program and its stockpile of highly enriched uranium.
  • "A diplomatic source told Al Arabiya: Ensuring the safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz is imminent.", Al Arabiya reports.

Commentary following the US-Iran strikes:

  • Iran's Top Joint Military Command said US violated the ceasefire by targeting Iranian oil tanker and another ship entering the Strait of Hormuz; Iran will respond powerfully and without the slightest hesitation to any attack.
  • US President Trump said the Iran ceasefire is still on and that the US is negotiating with the Iranians; Pakistan asked the US not to do Project Freedom during the negotiations. On energy, said we do not need to export curbs on oil and fuel.
  • US President Trump posted that there was no damage done to the three US destroyers that came under fire; states that Iran is led by lunatics and that the US will knock out Iran more violently if no deal is signed fast.
  • US President Trump tells ABC that the retaliatory strikes against Iranian targets are just a 'love tap' and the ceasefire continues to be in effect.
  • US military said US forces intercepted Iranian attacks and responded with self-defense strikes on Iranian military facilities; Iranian attacks were unprovoked but no US assets were hit; do not seek escalation.
  • The situation on Iranian islands and coastal cities by the Strait of Hormuz is back to normal, according to Press TV.
  • Saudi Arabia has not permitted the use of its airspace to support offensive military operations, Al Arabiya reported citing sources.
  • There is a high state of alert in anticipation of retaliatory attacks from Hezbollah following the assassination of the Radwan Force Commander, Israeli Channel 12 reported citing sources.
  • Saudi Arabia has imposed restrictions on some aspects of US activity related to military operations in the region due to fears of possible Iranian attacks without direct US support or response, ISNA reported citing a i24 sources report.

Reports of overnight strikes:

  • "US military attacked Iranian targets in the Strait of Hormuz, an American official told me. The American official claimed that the attacks do not constitute a renewal of the war with Iran", Axios' Ravid posted.
  • A massive fire at the site of Iran's attacks last night; large fire previously detected in the Strait of Hormuz, Musandam province, has moved; another big fire has been detected 30km west of Lark Island, Tasnim reported.
  • UAE announces that air defense systems are responding to a missile threat.
  • Hearing explosions in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, ISNA reported.
  • Reactivation of air defense in western areas of Tehran, Mehr News reported.
  • Several explosions were heard in Abu Dhabi, IRIB News reported.
  • Explosion was heard in Abu Dhabi, Fars News reported citing Arab sources.
  • Three American destroyers were attacked by the Iranian Navy near the Strait of Hormuz, Tasnim sources say.
  • An explosion was heard in Minab, SNN reported.
  • Further explosions heard in Bandar Abbas, Mehr news reported.
  • Air defenses have been activated in West Tehran, Mehr News reported.
  • Air defenses shot down two hostile drones over Bandar Abbas and Qeshm, Mehr News reported.
  • Explosions heard in Qeshm due to the confrontation of defences with small birds, ISNA reported.
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