US Warplane Strikes Cargo Ship in Gulf of Oman

An American fighter jet fired precision-guided munitions at the stern of the ship, disabling its propulsion system without causing any casualties among the crew. The vessel, which had departed from an Iranian port, is referred to as the Ocean Majestic by Panet, the M/V Ocean Molica by Behadrei Haredim, and the Ocean Mallyca by JDN, and is also known as Erika Sun or Arika Sun. JDN reported that U.S. Central Command forces seized the vessel.

The operation is part of the enforcement of maritime sanctions reimposed by the United States on July 14, which block vessels from entering or leaving Iranian ports. Over the last three months of enforcement, U.S. forces have turned back 135 commercial vessels, disabled four ships, and destroyed ten oil tankers linked to the shadow network of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Following the incident, U.S. Central Command warned shipping companies in the Gulf of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz to adhere to blockade warnings. Shipping through the vital strait has recently dropped to its lowest level in over two months following a surge in attacks on oil tankers.