CENTCOM disables commercial cargo vessel in Gulf of Oman

U.S. forces fired a missile at a commercial cargo vessel in the Gulf of Oman, U.S. Central Command said. This screenshot from a video shows U.S. forces targeting the M/V Huda before disabling the ship with a missile strike. (U.S. Central Command) U.S. forces fired a missile at a commercial cargo vessel in the Gulf of Oman Saturday after the ship visited an Iranian port and attempted to leave, U.S. Central Command said. CENTCOM alleged that the St. Kitts-flagged M/V Huda attempted to violate the U.S. naval blockade. Before U.S. aircraft disabled the ship, CENTCOM said they “directed crew to abandon targeted spaces.” CENTCOM forces fired at the stern of the ship.

“Enforcement actions since July have resulted in U.S. forces redirecting 147 commercial vessels that complied and disabled five merchant ships that refused to comply,” CENTCOM wrote. Earlier on Saturday, CENTCOM announced that Adm. Brad Cooper had directed the formation of a new Tampa, Fla., based task force intended to control the flow of materials across Iran’s land borders. Task Force Iron Gate aims to prevent “the movement of advanced weapons systems, dual-use technologies, sanctioned materials, and illegal revenue streams across Iran’s land borders and the Caspian Sea,” according to CENTCOM. US quietly strikes Iranian island in Strait of Hormuz as Trump weighs next steps Gulf states fear fiercer