A fighter aircraft from the US rendered an Iranian-flagged oil tanker inoperable in the Gulf of Oman after it failed to heed several stop warnings, as confirmed by US Central Command. The aircraft targeted the tanker’s rudder, bringing the number of vessels turned back by the US blockade to over 52 within a span of 20 days. Although Iran has not yet taken military action while peace negotiations facilitated by Pakistan are ongoing, this attack highlights the precarious balance between diplomacy and military engagement in the Strait of Hormuz situation.
