US Forces Disable Cargo Vessel Attempting to Evade Iran Blockade in Gulf of Oman

United States military forces disabled a commercial cargo vessel in the Gulf of Oman on Saturday after the ship ignored warnings and attempted to violate the ongoing naval blockade against Iran, according to US Central Command (CENTCOM). A fighter jet struck the stern of the Panama-flagged M/V Ocean Molica, also identified as the Arika Sun, using a precision munition. CENTCOM confirmed the attack disabled the ship’s propulsion but did not harm the crew.

The vessel had previously departed an Iranian port before attempting to transit regional waters. This incident marks the fourth commercial vessel disabled by US forces and the 135th ship turned around since CENTCOM resumed its blockade enforcement on July 14. Over the same three-month period, US forces also destroyed 10 tankers linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC) multibillion-dollar shadow network.

In a reciprocal move, Iran’s IRGC stated that Iranian forces struck a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz for attempting to take what Tehran designated as an “illegal route.” Official Iranian media reported that the IRGC claimed to have taken control of the strait’s administration. The IRGC identified the target as the NV Sunshine, a giant LPG carrier owned by NatWit, which was hit while attempting to transit south of the Strait of Hormuz.

The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency reported on Sunday that an outbound tanker in the strait was struck on the port side by an unknown projectile, causing a fire aboard. Crew members were reported safe, though the extent of the damage and environmental impact remained under assessment. This follows a Thursday report from UKMTO indicating that a vessel sailing north of Qatar was hit by multiple projectiles, resulting in casualties, although the origin of the ship and the exact number of injured were not specified.

The Strait of Hormuz remains a critical artery for the global economy, with approximately one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas passing through the passage prior to the conflict. Since the onset of the US-Israel war on Iran in late February, ships attempting to cross the vital waterway have faced repeated attacks. Tehran has insisted that vessels obtain permission to cross via preferred routes, leading many ships to risk taking alternative paths along the strait’s southern coast.