US Fighter Jet Disables Cargo Ship Trying to Breach Iran Blockade
U.S. forces have disabled a commercial cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman after it allegedly ignored repeated warnings and attempted to breach the American naval blockade against Iran.
U.S. Central Command said a fighter jet struck the stern of the Panama-flagged M/V Ocean Molica, also known as Arika Sun, with a precision munition on October 10, disabling the vessel’s propulsion system. No injuries among the crew were reported.
The ship had departed an Iranian port before attempting to transit regional waters, according to the U.S. military. Washington said the action was taken to enforce restrictions on vessels entering or leaving Iranian ports.
CENTCOM said its forces had turned back 135 ships and disabled four commercial vessels during the latest enforcement period. The United States has also targeted tankers it says are linked to Iran’s oil-export networks
The incident underscores the growing risk to commercial shipping as Washington and Tehran enforce competing maritime restrictions around the Gulf of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz.
The confrontation raises further concerns over freedom of navigation and the potential for additional military escalation in one of the world’s most strategically important energy corridors.