US Navy Fires on Two Empty Iranian Oil Tankers Attempting to Breach Naval Blockade Near Strait of Hormuz — Day 71

US naval forces fired on two empty Iranian-flagged oil tankers attempting to evade the US naval blockade near the Strait of Hormuz on May 9, 2026 — Day 71. Both vessels were described as empty tankers attempting to breach the blockade cordon under the cover of darkness. The action followed a pattern of intensifying naval enforcement: on May 7 a US Navy fighter jet had disabled the rudder of an Iranian tanker in the Gulf of Oman, and on May 8 US and Iranian forces exchanged fire in the strait overnight. The firing on two tankers represented the most direct US action against Iranian merchant vessels in a single incident since the blockade began, and signaled that the US naval enforcement posture was not softening despite diplomatic negotiations. Sporadic clashes between Iranian and US naval forces in the Strait of Hormuz continued through Day 71, per Iranian media. The UKMTO maintained elevated threat warnings for the region. The IRGC separately maintained its paid-passage scheme for the strait — requiring ships to register with its self-styled 'Persian Gulf Strait Authority' and pay fees of up to $2 million per vessel — though shipowners and insurers remained wary of using the routes due to mine risks in non-designated lanes. Approximately 1,600 vessels with 23,000 sailors from 87 countries remained trapped in the Persian Gulf.