US Says It Disables Vessel in Gulf of Oman Bound for Iran

(MENAFN) US Central Command (CENTCOM) said Saturday that American forces disabled a Gambia-flagged commercial vessel in the Gulf of Oman after it allegedly attempted to sail toward an Iranian port.

In a statement posted on social media, CENTCOM said the action was part of what it described as enforcement measures related to maritime restrictions in the region.

“US forces operating in the Gulf of Oman enforced blockade measures by disabling a Gambia-flagged maritime vessel attempting to sail toward an Iranian port, May 29,” the statement said.

CENTCOM said the vessel, identified as M/V Lian Star, was observed traveling through international waters toward Iran and was issued multiple warnings before action was taken.

According to the statement, more than 20 warnings were delivered to the ship’s crew, who were told the vessel was in violation of restrictions.

“A US aircraft disabled the vessel by firing a Hellfire missile into the ship’s engine room after Lian Star’s crew failed to comply,” CENTCOM said, adding that the ship was no longer continuing its journey.

The command also claimed that additional vessels have been intercepted or redirected in recent days as part of ongoing maritime enforcement operations, stating that multiple commercial ships had been affected while others were diverted.

According to reports, the situation comes amid continued heightened tensions in regional waterways and ongoing military activity involving US forces in nearby maritime zones.

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