US forces disabled two Iranian-flagged oil tankers attempting to violate the US blockade by firing precision munitions into their smokestacks, US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Friday.
The M/T Sea Star III and the M/T Sevda were attempting to enter an Iranian port on the Gulf of Oman when US forces disabled them.
The vessels are no longer transiting to Iran, CENTCOM said
UAE intercepts Iranian missiles, drones
The United Arab Emirates air defenses engaged two ballistic missiles and three drones launched from Iran on Thursday, the UAE Defense Ministry announced in a post on X/Twitter.
Three people were moderately injured in the attack, bringing the total number of injuries within the UAE since the onset of “the blatant Iranian attacks” to 230, according to the ministry’s statement.
Iranian Foreign Minister accuses US of reckless military adventure
Iran’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abbas Araghchi, responded on X to a published analysis from US intelligence that claimed that Iran’s missile inventory capacity after the war is at 75% compared to its pre-war levels.
Every time a diplomatic solution is on the table, the U.S. opts for a reckless military adventure. Is it a crude pressure tactic? Or the result of a spoiler once again duping POTUS into another quagmire?
Whatever the causes, outcome is the same: Iranians never bow to pressure. pic.twitter.com/ev7dMIebNB
— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) May 8, 2026
Araghchi asserted, “Every time a diplomatic solution is on the table, the US opts for a reckless military adventure.”
He further stated, “The CIA is wrong, our missile inventory and launcher capacity are not at 75% compared to Feb 28. The correct figure is 120%.”
“As for our readiness to defend our people: 1,000%”
Rubio claims Iranian claim on Hormuz sets dangerous precedent
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the US should get a response from Iran on its proposal to end the war on Friday.
“We’ll see what the response entails. The hope is it’s something that can put us into a serious process of negotiation,” Rubio told reporters in Rome on Friday.
Rubio also addressed the incident in which the US carried out retaliatory strikes on Iranian military facilities on Thursday night, telling reporters that the strikes were “separate and distinct from Operation Epic Fury,” which had been declared as complete.
While Operation Epic Fury was an “offensive operation,” the incident on Thursday was “the US respond[ing] defensively to protect itself,” Rubio clarified.
Additionally, Rubio warned that allowing Iran control over the Strait of Hormuz could set a global precedent, calling for international support for the US’s resolution at the United Nations regarding the waterway.
“Is the world going to accept that Iran now controls an international waterway? Because if the world is prepared to accept that, then be ready because there’s like 10 other countries that are going to start to do the same thing,” he said.
Reuters contributed to this report.
