Stories
US Forces Disable Cargo Ship in Gulf of Oman for Breach Attempt
- •A US military fighter jet used a precision munition to strike and disable the propulsion system of the Panama-flagged cargo vessel M/V Ocean Molica, also known as the Arika Sun, in the Gulf of Oman on October 10.
- •CENTCOM reported that the vessel attempted to breach the ongoing US naval blockade after departing an Iranian port and ignored repeated warnings.
- •No crew members were harmed during the military strike, according to US Central Command.
- •Since resuming the blockade on July 14, US forces have disabled four commercial vessels, turned back 135 ships, and destroyed 10 IRGC-linked shadow network tankers.
- •CENTCOM advised mariners to comply with blockade warnings, monitor broadcasts, and contact US naval forces on channel 16 when navigating regional waters.
Key Questions Answered
A US military fighter jet struck the stern of the Panama-flagged cargo vessel M/V Ocean Molica (also known as the Arika Sun) with a precision munition on October 10 after its crew ignored warnings and attempted to breach the US naval blockade against Iran. The strike disabled the vessel's propulsion system, though no crew members were harmed.
Following the resumption of the blockade on July 14, US forces disabled four commercial vessels and turned back 135 ships over a three-month period. Additionally, forces destroyed 10 tankers linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ shadow network during the same timeframe.
CENTCOM advised mariners operating in the region to comply with blockade warnings issued by US forces. Crews are urged to monitor Notice to Mariners broadcasts and contact US naval forces over bridge-to-bridge radio channel 16 when navigating the Gulf of Oman and the approaches to the Strait of Hormuz.
