Chinese Oil Tanker Hit by Iran Near Hormuz as US Pauses Ship Protection Amid Broader Strategy

A bulk cargo ship sits at anchor in the Strait of Hormuz off Bandar Abbas, Iran, Saturday, May 2, 2026.Amirhosein Khorgooi/ISNA via APA Chinese-owned oil tanker was attacked by Iran near the Strait of Hormuz on May 4, as the United States paused its mission to protect commercial ships in the strait.Analysts told The Epoch Times the strike shows that the Iranian military’s command system is fragmented, and that they don’t really trust the Chinese communist regime as an ally, while the United States is preserving its military power to face China in the Asia-Pacific.