US Jet Disables Cargo Ship Defying Iran Blockade in Gulf of Oman
(MENAFN) A US fighter jet struck and disabled a commercial cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman on Saturday, after its crew allegedly disregarded repeated warnings and tried to run Washington’s naval blockade of Iran, the American military said.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the aircraft hit the stern of the Panama-flagged M/V Ocean Molica, also known as the Arika Sun, knocking out its propulsion. No crew members were hurt, the military said. CENTCOM said the vessel had left an Iranian port and was moving through regional waters when it was intercepted.
The strike came during the US blockade of Iranian ports, which Washington reinstated on July 14. That was two days after Iran said it had closed the waterway again, following the resumption of US attacks on July 8.
Over three months of enforcement, CENTCOM said, four commercial vessels have been disabled and 135 ships have been turned back. The command added that US forces have destroyed 10 tankers tied to the oil transport network of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) during the same period.
Separately, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported Sunday that a tanker caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz after an unidentified projectile hit its port side. The crew was reported safe.
Late Saturday, the IRGC said an oil supertanker struck a naval mine and exploded as it tried to leave the strait by an unauthorized route.
It remains unclear whether the UKMTO and IRGC reports involve the same ship, or whether either incident is linked to the strike on the Ocean Molica.
CENTCOM warned commercial vessels to follow blockade instructions. It urged crews in the Gulf of Oman and near the Strait of Hormuz to monitor maritime notices and stay in contact with US naval forces.
Tehran has likewise cautioned that it could target ships that use routes other than those set by Iranian authorities, or that try to pass through the strait without permission.
The US and Israel launched a war on Iran on Feb. 28 that has killed more than 3,000 people, according to Tehran. Iran retaliated with attacks that killed Americans and Israelis before a ceasefire took hold in April.
The US later conducted more strikes on Iranian sites as negotiations between the two sides stalled, despite a framework agreement signed in June. Talks remain deadlocked over navigation through the strategic waterway.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the aircraft hit the stern of the Panama-flagged M/V Ocean Molica, also known as the Arika Sun, knocking out its propulsion. No crew members were hurt, the military said. CENTCOM said the vessel had left an Iranian port and was moving through regional waters when it was intercepted.
The strike came during the US blockade of Iranian ports, which Washington reinstated on July 14. That was two days after Iran said it had closed the waterway again, following the resumption of US attacks on July 8.
Over three months of enforcement, CENTCOM said, four commercial vessels have been disabled and 135 ships have been turned back. The command added that US forces have destroyed 10 tankers tied to the oil transport network of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) during the same period.
Separately, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported Sunday that a tanker caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz after an unidentified projectile hit its port side. The crew was reported safe.
Late Saturday, the IRGC said an oil supertanker struck a naval mine and exploded as it tried to leave the strait by an unauthorized route.
It remains unclear whether the UKMTO and IRGC reports involve the same ship, or whether either incident is linked to the strike on the Ocean Molica.
CENTCOM warned commercial vessels to follow blockade instructions. It urged crews in the Gulf of Oman and near the Strait of Hormuz to monitor maritime notices and stay in contact with US naval forces.
Tehran has likewise cautioned that it could target ships that use routes other than those set by Iranian authorities, or that try to pass through the strait without permission.
The US and Israel launched a war on Iran on Feb. 28 that has killed more than 3,000 people, according to Tehran. Iran retaliated with attacks that killed Americans and Israelis before a ceasefire took hold in April.
The US later conducted more strikes on Iranian sites as negotiations between the two sides stalled, despite a framework agreement signed in June. Talks remain deadlocked over navigation through the strategic waterway.
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