Key insights
- The US military intercepted a vessel attempting to breach the blockade of Iran, firing a missile into its engine room after multiple warnings. This action, alongside ongoing tensions and potential strikes, contributes to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and has pushed up global energy prices. The geopolitical instability poses a bearish risk to global markets, particularly impacting energy sectors and potentially broader economic sentiment due to supply chain and inflation concerns.
By Raphael Satter
May 30 - The U.S. military says it fired a missile into the engine room of a vessel trying to get through the U.S. blockade of Iran on Friday.
Here are some details:
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In a statement on Saturday, U.S. Central Command said it fired a Hellfire missile into the engine room of the Gambia-flagged Lian Star as it was "transiting international waters toward an Iranian port on the Gulf of Oman."
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Before the attack, U.S. forces issued "more than 20 warnings" informing the vessel it was in violation of the U.S. blockade, according to Centcom.
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Centcom said the ship was "no longer transiting to Iran" but did not provide any further detail.
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Since the blockade started on April 13, the U.S. military has "redirected" at least 115 ships, Centcom said on Friday.
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U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said on Saturday that the U.S. military is ready to resume strikes on Iran if no deal is reached in efforts to end the war between the United States and Iran.
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The conflict has pushed up global energy prices as Iran has mostly closed the Strait of Hormuz.
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