The United States disabled a commercial vessel that attempted to violate the blockade of Iran's ports

A US military aircraft struck the stern of the M/V Ocean Molica with a precision munition. US Central Command (CENTCOM) forces reported that they disabled a commercial cargo vessel in the Gulf of Oman on Saturday, after its crew ignored warnings and attempted to evade the US naval blockade of the Iranian regime. According to the statement released by CENTCOM on the social media platform X, a US military aircraft struck the stern of the M/V Ocean Molica, a Panamanian-flagged vessel also identified as "Arika Sun," with a precision munition. The attack completely disabled the vessel's propulsion system, without causing any injuries to the crew members. The cargo ship had earlier departed from an Iranian port and was attempting to navigate through the region's waters. CENTCOM maintained that the ship ignored repeated warnings before the intervention. US forces resumed the blockade against vessels entering or leaving Iranian ports on July 14. Since then, four commercial vessels have been disabled and 135 ships have turned back during three months of enforcing the measure, according to the military command. CENTCOM also stated that the United States destroyed 10 tankers linked to the clandestine network of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps during that period. The agency described that structure as a multi-billion-dollar network. The US military advised mariners to pay attention to the blockade warnings and to follow Notice to Mariners broadcasts. In addition, it asked crews operating in the Gulf of Oman to contact US naval forces via bridge-to-bridge communications channel 16. Ships in the Strait of Hormuz, seen from Musandam, Oman, on October 2, 2026 (REUTERS/File)In parallel, Iran's Revolutionary Guard also reported on Saturday that a supertanker caught fire after striking a sea mine in the Strait of Hormuz while attempting to leave that waterway via a route that Tehran considers unauthorized. The military force asserted that the vessel was carrying crude oil, although it did not disclose its name or flag. It also claimed that the ship had disconnected its navigation and positioning systems before the maneuver, while smoke from the fire could be seen from the coast. The Revolutionary Guard Navy detailed that "A supertanker carrying crude oil that was attempting to exit the Strait of Hormuz via an unauthorized route suffered a powerful explosion after colliding with a sea mine in an area declared high-risk." The agency maintained that the ship was still ablaze and warned that it would expand its operations against commercial vessels beyond that maritime corridor. "A massive fire is the fate of any violating tanker that attempts to ignore the safety and rules of the Strait of Hormuz," it stated in the communiqué. A tanker catches fire in the Strait of Hormuz The British maritime trade monitoring agency UKMTO had not reported on this incident. Since September 29, the agency has recorded 10 incidents involving vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, including several attacks with projectiles of unknown origin. The Iranian announcement came hours after the United Arab Emirates National Guard announced the rescue of 22 crew members from a tanker that caught fire in the Persian Gulf. Authorities indicated that the sailors, of various Asian nationalities, received first aid and remained in stable condition, without establishing a connection between the two events. The Revolutionary Guard reiterated that it maintains control over the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway through which a significant portion of the world's energy trade passes. Oil flow in that area returned to levels close to those recorded before the start of the war in February. The Iranian regime closed the Strait of Hormuz after the beginning of the conflict initiated by the United States and Israel and used that decision as one of its pressure mechanisms. Washington responded with a naval cordon around Iranian ports and vessels. (With information from EFE)