US forces disable cargo ship breaching Iran blockade in Gulf of Oman

US Strike on Cargo Vessel

US Central Command confirmed on Saturday that American forces struck and disabled a commercial cargo vessel in the Gulf of Oman after its crew allegedly ignored repeated warnings and attempted to breach Washington's naval blockade against Iran, marking the latest enforcement action in a campaign that has disabled four ships and turned away 135 others over the past three months. The Panama-flagged M/V Ocean Molica — also known as the Arika Sun — was hit in the stern by a fighter jet which rendered its propulsion system inoperable, CENTCOM said, adding that no crew members were harmed in the strike. The vessel had previously departed an Iranian port and was attempting to transit regional waters when it was intercepted, according to the command.

Regional Incidents

In a separate incident, the UK Maritime Trade Operations reported Sunday that a tanker caught fire after being struck on its port side by an unknown projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, though the crew was reported safe. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps stated late Saturday that an oil supertanker had struck a naval mine and exploded while attempting to exit the strait through an unauthorized route, though it remained unclear whether the reports concerned the same vessel or were connected to the US strike on the Ocean Molica.

Enforcement Operations

CENTCOM said four commercial vessels have been disabled and 135 ships turned away during three months of blockade enforcement, while US forces have also destroyed 10 tankers linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' oil transportation network over the same period. The command warned commercial vessels to comply with blockade instructions and urged crews operating in the Gulf of Oman and near the Strait of Hormuz to monitor maritime notices and maintain communication with US naval forces. Tehran has also warned that it could target vessels using routes other than those designated by Iranian authorities or attempting to transit the strait without permission, raising the stakes for commercial shipping in the region.

Conflict Background

Washington resumed its naval blockade of Iranian ports on July 14, two days after Tehran said it had again closed the waterway following the resumption of US attacks on July 8. The US and Israel launched a war against Iran on Feb. 28 that has killed more than 3,000 people, according to Tehran, with Iran retaliating against American and Israeli targets before a ceasefire was reached in April. Washington subsequently carried out additional strikes on Iranian sites amid stalled negotiations, despite the signing of a framework agreement in June, leaving talks deadlocked over navigation rights through the strategic waterway.