U.S. Warplane Cripples Cargo Ship in Gulf of Oman After It Refused to Comply with Blockade

The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that an American military aircraft fired precision-guided munitions at the stern of the cargo ship M/V Ocean Molica, also known as "Arika Sun," a Panama-flagged vessel, after it refused to respond to warnings regarding the blockade imposed on Iran in the Gulf of Oman.

CENTCOM reported that the strike immobilized the ship without any crew members being harmed, noting that the vessel had departed an Iranian port before attempting to breach the blockade perimeter.

The command issued a direct warning to all mariners in the region, urging them to monitor maritime broadcasts from its forces when approaching the Gulf of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz, and to communicate with the U.S. Navy via "Channel 16."

CENTCOM indicated that it has redirected 135 ships to date as part of blockade enforcement. It did not disclose the identity of the ship's operator or the nationality of its crew.