The U.S. Central Command announced that yesterday an aircraft of the U.S. Armed Forces hit the Very Large Crude Carrier Belma while he was sailing in international waters towards the Iranian island of Kharg. The ship, flagged by Curaçao, is was hit by missiles that hit the funnel. Centcom has Tanker had not responded to several warnings for violation of the blockade of ship traffic to and from ports imposed by the United States.

The Belma, of 300 thousand gross tons, would make part of the shadow fleet used for the transport of products with Iran and is operated by the Emirati Max Maritime Solutions FZE, a company subject to sanctions by the United States for being involved in Iranian oil trafficking to China.