Iranian gunboats confronted a U.S. tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, prompting a U.S. naval escort amid rising regional tensions.

Iranian gunboats approached a U.S.-flagged tanker, the Stena Imperative, in the Strait of Hormuz, ordering it to stop and prepare for boarding. The tanker accelerated and continued its route without entering Iranian waters, then was escorted to safety by a U.S. warship. The incident, occurring 16 nautical miles north of Oman, marked another escalation in regional tensions, amid heightened U.S. military activity and a prior U.S. fighter jet shootdown of an Iranian drone near an aircraft carrier. No injuries or damage were reported, but the event underscores ongoing instability in a critical global oil shipping lane, with both sides maintaining military readiness while diplomatic talks are planned.