US fires missile at tanker attempting to reach Iran amid strait of Hormuz standoff

The US military said aircraft disabled the engine room of the unladen Botswana-flagged M/T Lexie as it passed through international waters

US forces fired a Hellfire missile to disable a tanker attempting to break through the American blockade and reach Iran, amid an enduring standoff in the strait of Hormuz and stalling efforts by Washington to secure a new ceasefire agreement with Tehran.

The US military’s Central Command (Centcom) said its aircraft disabled the engine room of the unladen Botswana-flagged M/T Lexie on Tuesday as it passed through international waters toward Kharg Island, north of the strait near Kuwait, after the crew ignoring repeated warnings over a 24-hour period.