US military says it fired on another merchant vessel trying to breach its blockade of Iranian ports - AP News

What the report says

The Associated Press reported from Irbil, Iraq, that the U.S. military said Friday it opened fire on a merchant ship that tried to get through a blockade of Iranian ports, as the conflict between Washington and Tehran entered a 13th consecutive night of strikes. U.S. Central Command spokesman Capt. Tim Hawkins told AP that American forces disabled the M/T Lavine in the Gulf of Oman after repeated attempts to run the blockade and after the crew did not follow warnings, with fire directed at the engine room.

AP reported that it was the second commercial vessel disabled since the U.S. reinstated the blockade. The fighting has centered heavily on shipping routes, including the Strait of Hormuz, a key corridor for global energy shipments. The article said Iranian attacks have effectively shut the strait, contributing to higher fuel prices and broader economic disruption.

The confrontation also appeared to be spreading across the region. In Irbil, capital of Iraq’s semiautonomous Kurdish region, security officials said U.S.-led forces downed five explosive drones near an airport area where American forces are based, while residents heard repeated blasts and saw smoke. U.S. embassies in the Middle East began warning Americans that travel options could narrow, and Iran’s Revolutionary Guard urged people in neighboring countries to avoid bases hosting U.S. troops.

AP also reported that Saudi Arabia struck Hodeida, Yemen, after Houthi rebels said they attacked Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea. President Donald Trump met with senior national security aides on whether to maintain or expand U.S. military action, according to a U.S. official cited by AP, while Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi signaled continued resistance and contacts with China and Russia.