Live Update 
From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, June 3, 2026
From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, June 3, 2026
US says warplane struck oil tanker sailing to Iran’s Kharg Island, disabling it
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A screenshot of aerial video released by US Central Command showing flames emerging from the Botswana-flagged oil tanker M/T Lexie after it was struck by a Hellfire missile while sailing toward Iran's Kharg Island, June 3, 2026. (X screenshot)
The US military says it disabled a Botswana-flagged unladen oil tanker, M/T Lexie, after it attempted to sail toward Iran’s Kharg Island.
“The ship’s crew ignored repeated warnings, failing to comply with directions from US forces multiple times over a 24-hour period,” says a statement from CENTCOM. “A US aircraft ultimately disabled the vessel by firing a Hellfire missile into the ship’s engine room, preventing the tanker from reaching Iran.”
The CENTCOM says the ship is the sixth its disabled since the US launched a blockade of Iranian ports in April.
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) June 2, 2026
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