Overview
- U.S. forces, which disabled the M/T Sea Star III and M/T Sevda on Friday by striking their smokestacks, said the tankers tried to breach the American blockade of Iranian ports.
- Following Thursday night’s clashes, the U.S. said it intercepted missiles, drones and small boats aimed at three Navy ships and struck Iranian launch sites, and the UAE reported engaging two ballistic missiles and three drones with three people injured.
- Washington is awaiting Tehran’s reply to a U.S. proposal to end the war and reopen the waterway, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying he hoped for a serious offer on Friday as Iran said it was still reviewing the plan.
- CENTCOM said it is preventing more than 70 tankers from entering or leaving Iranian ports, and shipping data reports say Iran has created a Persian Gulf Strait Authority to vet and tax transits as roughly 1,500 ships and 20,000 crew remain stuck in the Gulf.
- A CIA assessment reported by multiple outlets said Iran could endure the U.S. naval blockade for about four months, a sign U.S. leverage may be limited as oil prices topped $101 a barrel during the latest flare‑up.