Monday, May 18Monday, May 18The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) reported striking two Iranian-flagged oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz after claiming the vessels attempted to violate a blockade. The tankers were identified as part of Iran’s hydrocarbon transport network, with one vessel, previously named *Ocean Koi* and later renamed *JIN LI* (IMO 9255933), having transported Iranian oil on at least 16 occasions since 2021. Half of these shipments were loaded directly at Iranian ports, while the remainder occurred via ship-to-ship transfers. The *JIN LI*, owned by a Shanghai-based company, was sanctioned by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC on February 25, 2026 .
The *Ocean Koi* was seized by Iran in the Gulf of Oman before being handed over to Iranian authorities, further escalating tensions in the region . The U.S. justified its strikes on the tankers as a response to Iranian actions, including an attack on three American destroyers in the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran denied initiating. The exchange of fire has placed a fragile ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran under severe strain, with both sides accusing the other of violating the truce .
U.S. President Donald Trump maintained that the ceasefire remained intact despite the clashes, though Iranian officials condemned the strikes as a "reckless military adventure" and warned of further retaliation if a deal was not signed . The Pakistani foreign minister, Ishaq Dar, disclosed efforts to repatriate crew members from vessels seized by U.S. authorities, including 11 Pakistani and 20 Iranian seafarers, though the specific ships involved were not identified . The latest hostilities mark the 70th day of heightened tensions, with Iran accusing the U.S. of breaching the ceasefire near Hormuz .
> Background: **U.S. and Iran Clash in Strait of Hormuz Amid Ceasefire Tensions** — *8 hours ago*
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Middle East crisis live: US fires on two Iranian-flagged oil tankers it claims were trying to violate blockade Centcom says it has struck two tankers heading for Iran after Tehran warned Washington was violating fragile ceasefireCeasefire under threat after strikes exchanged in straitThe ship monitor Tanker Trackers has posted the following on X about the Ocean Koi oil tanker:Her new name is actually JIN LI (9255933), and has been so since 2025-11-30. Examining our data, we can see that shes transported various Iranian hydrocarbons on at least 16 occasions since 2021; and with full knowledge of Iran because half of her loadings were conducted directly at port in Iran while the other half were conducted via Ship-to-Ship transfer further out.JIN LIs ownership is based in Shanghai, China. The vessel was slapped with sanctions by US OFAC on 2026-02-25. Continue reading...
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theguardian · 10 days ago
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telegram bot · 10 days ago
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theguardian · 10 days ago
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telegram bot · 10 days ago
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france24 · 11 days ago
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aljazeera · 11 days ago
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theguardian · 11 days ago
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axios · 11 days ago
The Latest: US military fires on Iranian-flagged oil tanker as Trump presses for deal to end war A U.S. fighter jet on Wednesday fired on an Iranian oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman as it tried to breach the U.S. blockade of Irans ports, the U.S. military said
independent · 12 days ago