OMM Redaksiyası
US forces struck and disabled a commercial cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman on Saturday after it allegedly ignored repeated warnings and attempted to breach the US naval blockade of Iran, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said.
A fighter jet hit the stern of the Panama-flagged vessel, the M/V “Ocean Molica”, also known as the “Arika Sun”, disabling its propulsion system, CENTCOM said. No crew members were harmed.
The ship had departed an Iranian port and was trying to pass through regional waters when US forces intercepted it, according to the command.
The strike comes amid a US blockade of Iranian ports that Washington resumed on July 14, two days after Iran said it had again closed the waterway following the resumption of US attacks on July 8.
CENTCOM said that during three months of enforcing the blockade, US forces had disabled four commercial vessels and turned away 135 ships. The command also said forces had destroyed 10 tankers linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ oil transportation network during the same period.
Separately, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said on Sunday that a tanker caught fire after being hit on its port side by an unknown projectile in the Strait of Hormuz. Its crew was reported safe.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said late Saturday that an oil supertanker had struck a naval mine and exploded while attempting to leave the strait by an unauthorized route. It was not immediately clear whether the UKMTO and IRGC reports referred to the same vessel or whether either incident was connected to the US strike.
CENTCOM urged commercial vessels to follow blockade instructions and told crews 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 it could target vessels using routes not designated by Iranian authorities or attempting to pass through the strait without permission.
The US and Israel launched a war against 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 was reached in April.
The US later carried out additional strikes on Iranian sites as negotiations between Washington and Tehran stalled, despite the signing of a framework agreement in June. Talks have remained deadlocked over disagreements about navigation through the strategic waterway.
