U.S. and Iranian forces clashed in the Gulf of Oman and Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, with both sides enforcing competing naval blockades and targeting commercial vessels.
A U.S. fighter jet disabled the Panama-flagged cargo vessel *M/V Ocean Molica* in the Gulf of Oman after its crew ignored repeated warnings and attempted to break the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports, according to Central Command. The strike fully disabled the ship’s propulsion without harming the crew, CENTCOM said . The UK Maritime Trade Operations confirmed the incident, stating it was investigating reports of a tanker and military forces involved in the Gulf of Oman .
In the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it struck a supertanker carrying roughly 2 million barrels of crude oil after the vessel hit a naval mine while attempting an unauthorized southern route. The IRGC warned that any ship ignoring Tehran’s maritime rules in the strait would face a “horrific fire” . The UKMTO reported an outbound tanker was struck on its port side by an unknown projectile in the strait, causing a fire; all crew members were safe, but the extent of damage and environmental impact remained unclear .
The Strait of Hormuz has been closed by Iran since July 12 following the resumption of U.S. strikes on Iranian targets, with negotiations between Washington and Tehran deadlocked over navigation rights . CENTCOM stated its blockade of Iranian ports, reimposed on July 14, has disabled four commercial vessels and turned away 135 others in three months of enforcement .
