U.S. Forces Disable Two Iranian-Flagged Tankers In Gulf Of Oman, CENTCOM Says

U.S. Central Command said in a May 8 post on X that two more Iranian-flagged tankers were disabled by US forces in the Gulf of Oman as Washington continued enforcing its blockade on vessels entering or leaving Iran.

The same day, Tasnim news agency, which has close ties to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), quoted a military source saying, “After a period of mutual fire, the fighting has ceased and the situation is under control,”.

Ain Libya

In the Strait of Hormuz, CBS News reported that three U.S. Navy destroyers—USS Truxton, USS Mason and USS Rafael Peralta—came under attack on Thursday by Iranian missiles, drones and small boats, while the U.S. carried out strikes on two Iranian ports abutting the strait.

CBS News said the U.S. responded with “self-defense strikes” on Iranian facilities, including drone and missile launch sites, and that the U.S. vessels were not struck, CENTCOM said.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters that “If they threaten Americans, they’re going to get blown up,” framing the U.S. response to Iranian fire near the Strait of Hormuz as defensive action.

In Rome, Al Jazeera reported Rubio said Iranian boats firing at Americans will be “blown up,” and also said he expected Iran to respond to a US peace proposal on Friday.

Al Jazeera

CBS News quoted President Trump describing the ceasefire as still in effect despite the strikes, saying “They trifled with us today. We blew them away.”

The Washington Times also quoted Rubio warning that “If you are a missile launching guy… and you fire a missile at the United States and we saw you fire it, we’re going to hit you,” after U.S. and Iranian forces exchanged fire Thursday.

The U.S. Treasury said on May 8 it imposed sanctions on 10 individuals and companies for aiding efforts by the Iranian military to secure weapons and materials used to build Shahed drones, and said it stands ready to take further economic action against Iran's military-industrial base.

“Toggle Play Rubio says Iranian boats firing at Americans will be ‘blown up’ US Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the US military’s action during an exchange of fire with Iranian forces in the Strait of Hormuz”

Al Jazeera

Reuters satellite images reviewed by Reuters, as described by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, appeared to show a large oil slick near Iran’s Kharg Island, with Leon Moreland estimating it covered roughly 45 square kilometers between May 6 and May 8.

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty also said Kharg Island handles about 90 percent of Iran’s oil exports, and that it has been at the center of heightened tensions and military activity during the US-Iran conflict.

In parallel, Iran International reported Rubio said the international community could not accept Iran asserting control over the Strait of Hormuz, warning “The world is going to have to decide whether it is prepared to normalize that.”