what is us reaction to iran firing on tanker ship

The U.S. reaction has been to frame the incident as a maritime security and blockade enforcement issue, not as an unprovoked attack. In the reporting available, U.S. officials said their forces warned the vessel repeatedly, then disabled it after it kept trying to head toward an Iranian port.

What the U.S. said

U.S. Central Command said the ship was in violation of the U.S. blockade and that American forces acted only after multiple warnings. They said the goal was to enforce compliance and keep the situation controlled rather than escalate it.

How Washington is positioning it

The broader U.S. message is that Iran is being blamed for raising tensions at sea, while the U.S. is presenting its response as measured and defensive. In the same run of incidents, U.S. officials also said they do not seek escalation, even as they keep pressure on Iranian shipping.

What this means now

Practically, the reaction signals that the U.S. is treating tanker incidents in the region as part of the wider confrontation over the Gulf of Oman and Strait of Hormuz. That has kept shipping risk high and pushed the story into a larger U.S.-Iran standoff.

TL;DR

The U.S. response has been: warning first, force second, and a public argument that it was enforcing maritime restrictions rather than starting a fight.