The US military disabled a Panama-flagged commercial vessel in the Gulf of Oman for attempting to breach Washington’s naval blockade against Iran. CENTCOM confirmed a fighter jet struck the ship, disabling its propulsion without harming the crew.
The United States military announced on Saturday that it had disabled a Panama-flagged commercial cargo vessel in the Gulf of Oman after the crew allegedly ignored warnings and attempted to breach Washington’s naval blockade against Iran, amid escalating tensions across regional shipping corridors.
Detailing the operation via social media, the US Central Command stated in a post on X: “A US military fighter jet struck the stern of Panama-flagged M/V Ocean Molica (also known as the “Arika Sun”) with a precision munition, fully disabling the ship’s propulsion without harming the crew.” https://x.com/CENTCOM/status/2109073217176637447?s=20
Blockade Enforcement Operations
According to CENTCOM, the bulk carrier attempted to transit regional waters after departing from an Iranian port. To enforce its ongoing naval blockade covering all maritime traffic entering and leaving Iranian ports, US forces have subjected vessels operating to or from those locations to strict restrictions. This enforcement involves issuing direct warnings and operational orders to commercial shipping, with naval units redirecting compliant vessels while disabling those that refuse to follow instructions.
In its October 10 statement, CENTCOM reported that four commercial vessels had been disabled and 135 ships turned back over three months of enforcement operations, alongside the destruction of 10 tankers linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ shadow shipping network.
Advisory Amid Regional Tensions
Against the backdrop of mounting disruption to regional maritime trade and escalating security anxieties across the waters encircling Iran, particularly within the Gulf of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz, which functions as a vital energy transport artery for international markets, the command urged regional mariners to heed all blockade directives issued by American units.
Guidance for Mariners
Ship crews were recommended to keep a close watch on Notice to Mariners broadcasts and instructed to maintain communication with US naval personnel via bridge-to-bridge radio channel 16 when navigating the Gulf of Oman and approaches to the Strait of Hormuz.
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