Overview
U.S. forces disabled two Iranian-flagged oil tankers on Friday after the vessels attempted to enter an Iranian port on the Gulf of Oman in violation of an active blockade. The tankers, identified as M/T Sea Star III and M/T Sevda, were unladen at the time of the incident.
Operational details
A U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet operating from the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush engaged both ships, firing precision munitions into each vessel's smokestack. The strikes into the smokestacks prevented the two ships from completing their transit to the Iranian port.
This action comes after a similar enforcement event on Wednesday. In that case, a separate F/A-18 Super Hornet from USS Abraham Lincoln disabled the Iranian-flagged M/T Hasna as it tried to sail to an Iranian port in the Gulf of Oman. That engagement involved firing several rounds from a 20mm cannon that struck and disabled the Hasna's rudder.
Status of the vessels
CENTCOM has reported that all three Iranian-flagged tankers - M/T Sea Star III, M/T Sevda and M/T Hasna - are no longer transiting to Iran following these actions.
Official statement
"U.S. forces in the Middle East remain committed to full enforcement of the blockade of vessels entering or leaving Iran," said Adm. Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander.
Broader enforcement activity
CENTCOM reported that multiple commercial vessels have been disabled in connection with blockade enforcement operations and that more than 50 commercial ships have been redirected to ensure compliance with the blockade's restrictions.
Implications for maritime traffic
The events described reflect active measures being used by U.S. forces to prevent selected vessels from entering Iranian ports in the Gulf of Oman and indicate a continuing pattern of interdiction and redirection announced by CENTCOM. The reported disabling of commercial and flagged vessels and the redirection of over 50 ships are the operational facts made public by the command.
Limitations
The reporting here is limited to the actions and statements provided by CENTCOM and the operational details cited above. No additional information about the condition of the vessels beyond the disabling actions, nor about subsequent port destinations for redirected ships, has been provided in the material available.