US warship fires Hellfire missile at Gambian-flagged freighter 'Lian Star' attempting to breach Iran blockade in Gulf of Oman

The interception

US Central Command (CENTCOM) forces intercepted the Gambian-flagged freighter 'Lian Star' in the Gulf of Oman on Friday night after it attempted to breach the American naval blockade imposed on Iranian ports. According to CENTCOM, the vessel was navigating international waters "toward an Iranian port" when US forces issued "more than 20 warnings" and informed the crew they were violating the blockade.

The ship is no longer heading toward Iran.

When the crew failed to comply with diversion orders, a US aircraft fired a Hellfire missile directly into the ship's engine room, disabling the vessel. No information on casualties aboard the Lian Star has been released by US authorities. The ship, which sailed under the flag of Gambia, had departed Karachi, Pakistan on 11 May according to Marine Traffic tracking data.

The broader blockade

This marks the sixth commercial vessel forcibly stopped by US forces since the blockade was imposed. CENTCOM reports that five commercial ships have been neutralized and 116 others diverted since the naval cordon began. The US blockade, ordered by President Donald Trump in early April, targets ships entering or leaving Iranian ports, aiming to cut off Tehran's oil export revenues.

US forces observed the vessel 'Lian Star' sailing toward an Iranian port in the Gulf of Oman and issued more than 20 warnings, while informing the crew that it was violating the US blockade.

The Pentagon estimated in early April that the blockade has cost Iran approximately $4.8 billion in oil revenues. The Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of global hydrocarbon trade passes, has been effectively closed by Iran's Revolutionary Guard since shortly after the US-Israeli war against Iran began on 28 February.

Ceasefire and negotiations

A fragile ceasefire between Washington and Tehran has been in effect since 8 April, but negotiations to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz have yet to yield a breakthrough. The reopening of Hormuz and the dismantling of Iran's nuclear program remain the two main points of contention at the negotiating table.

The president insists on his red lines being respected.

Earlier this week, Axios reported that US and Iranian negotiators had reached a preliminary framework agreement to settle the war, citing two American officials. However, President Trump has not yet given his consent, and the White House indicated after a crisis meeting that the president demands adherence to his core requirements — including Tehran's abandonment of nuclear weapons plans. Iranian leadership stated that a final agreement to end the war has not yet been reached.

Regional tensions

Hours before the Lian Star incident, Iran reportedly launched a missile attack on the US Ali Al Salem airbase in Kuwait. According to Bloomberg sources, five people sustained minor injuries, and two American MQ-9 Reaper drones — each valued at approximately $30 million — were destroyed or seriously damaged. The exchange underscores the volatility persisting despite the ceasefire.

The indefinite truce, extended without a deadline by President Trump, remains precarious. While the US government confirmed on Thursday a preliminary agreement with Iran to extend the truce by two more months and guarantee passage through the strait, Washington continues to impose sanctions packages against ships and entities linked to Iranian oil trade, maintaining pressure on Tehran.