US forces fired a Hellfire missile into the engine room of a Botswana-flagged tanker heading for Iran's Kharg Island on June 2, the sixth vessel disabled since the blockade began April 13. Earlier:Oil draw larger than expected. Oil climbs to 1 week high, Iran-US deal signals stay mixedSummary:US forces disabled the Botswana-flagged tanker M/T Lexie after it ignored repeated warnings while heading toward Iran's Kharg Island oil terminal on June 2A US aircraft fired a Hellfire missile into the vessel's engine room, disabling it before it could reach port; the tanker was unladen at the timeSince the blockade began on April 13, CENTCOM says US forces have disabled six vessels and redirected 122 othersUS forces disabled a Botswana-flagged oil tanker in the Arabian Gulf on June 2 after it ignored repeated warnings and continued toward Iran's Kharg Island, the country's primary crude export terminal, firing a Hellfire missile into the vessel's engine room.The tanker, identified as the M/T Lexie, was unladen at the time. The strike left it unable to complete its voyage, according to US Central Command. It is the sixth vessel disabled by US forces since Washington imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports on April 13, with a further 122 ships redirected over the same period.The blockade was put in place shortly after the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran, triggering a conflict now more than three months old. In response, Iran moved to close the Strait of Hormuz to most non-Iranian shipping, severing roughly a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas flows. A shaky ceasefire has been in place for weeks, but the strait has remained largely shut and both sides continue to enforce their respective maritime positions.The Kharg Island intercept is consistent with a pattern of periodic confrontations that have punctuated the ceasefire period, underlining that despite diplomatic contact between Washington and Tehran, the underlying military postures remain intact and active. Ceasefire talks have so far failed to produce a formal agreement, and US officials have made clear the blockade will hold until a deal is reached.For oil markets, the episode is a routine but pointed reminder that Hormuz disruption is an operational reality enforced daily, not a geopolitical abstraction. Until a credible framework to reopen the strait is in place, incidents like the Lexie interdiction will continue to keep the supply risk premium anchored in crude prices.There is going to no quick exit from this mess. ---Each vessel interdiction is a reminder that the blockade is active and enforced, not a passive diplomatic posture, keeping the Hormuz risk premium well supported. The tally of six disabled ships and 122 redirected since April 13 points to sustained operational tempo that shows no sign of easing while ceasefire talks remain unresolved. For oil markets, the episode reinforces that physical supply disruption is a daily reality, not a tail risk. This article was written by Eamonn Sheridan at investinglive.com.