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WASHINGTON, October 11, 2026: The US military has disabled a commercial cargo vessel in the Gulf of Oman after its crew allegedly ignored repeated warnings and attempted to breach the naval blockade against Iran, according to US Central Command (CENTCOM).
CENTCOM said on Sunday that a US fighter jet struck the stern of the Panama-flagged vessel, M/V Ocean Molica, also known as the Arika Sun, on Saturday. The strike disabled the ship’s propulsion system without harming its crew, the command said.
The vessel had departed an Iranian port before attempting to transit regional waters, according to CENTCOM. However, Reuters reported that it could not immediately reach the vessel’s operator for comment.
CENTCOM said it resumed the blockade against ships entering or leaving Iranian ports on July 14.
According to the US military, its forces have disabled four commercial vessels and turned back 135 ships during the enforcement operation. CENTCOM also said US forces had destroyed 10 tankers linked to what it described as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ multibillion-dollar shadow network.
The command urged mariners operating in the Gulf of Oman and near the Strait of Hormuz to follow military warnings. It also advised crews to monitor maritime security broadcasts and maintain communication with US naval forces.
US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that Iran might intensify its actions ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.
Speaking at a campaign rally in Tennessee, Trump argued that Tehran might seek to influence the political debate in the United States by escalating tensions.
“They’ll probably do a little bit extra before the election, thinking it’s going to hurt us,” Trump said.
“But we could end it really quick,” he added, claiming that he had shown restraint towards Iran.
Trump also claimed that 159 Iranian ships had been sunk since the conflict began in late February. His remarks came as the confrontation continued to affect regional security and commercial shipping.
The president also joked about renaming the Strait of Hormuz the “Trump Strait”. The waterway remains a critical route for global energy shipments.
The United States and Israel launched their war against Iran on February 28. Tehran responded with missile and drone attacks across the region, while disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz raised concerns about global energy supplies.
A framework agreement reached in June, following mediation by Pakistan and Qatar, has faced difficulties over security arrangements and maritime navigation.
Separately, a tanker reportedly caught fire after being struck by an unidentified projectile while travelling through the Strait of Hormuz, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), as cited in the original report.
The vessel’s master reported that the projectile struck the ship’s port side and caused a fire onboard. The crew were reported safe, although the extent of the damage and any environmental impact remained unclear.
Authorities were investigating the incident, and vessels were advised to transit the area with caution.
The incident followed a separate claim by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) that an oil supertanker had struck a naval mine while attempting to leave the Strait of Hormuz through an unauthorised southern route.
The IRGC said the tanker was capable of carrying around two million barrels of oil. It also alleged that the vessel had switched off its navigation systems before attempting the crossing. These claims were not independently established in the material available for this report.
The latest incidents underscore the continuing risks to commercial shipping as tensions between Washington and Tehran persist.
[…] US Military Disables Cargo Ship in Gulf of Oman Amid Iran Blockade […]