Washington: US Central Command (CENTCOM) said that it disabled a Gambia-flagged maritime vessel attempting to sail toward an Iranian port.
“CENTCOM forces observed M/V Lian Star transiting international waters toward an Iranian port on the Gulf of Oman and issued more than 20 warnings while informing the vessel it was in violation of the US blockade,” according to a statement issued by CENTCOM on social media on Saturday.
“A US aircraft disabled the vessel by firing a Hellfire missile into the ship’s engine room after Lian Star’s crew failed to comply,” said CENTCOM’s statement. “The ship is no longer transiting to Iran.”
CENTCOM said in the statement that the US military has disabled a total of five commercial vessels and “redirected” 116 vessels during the naval blockade, Xinhua reported.
US President Donald Trump announced the blockade after negotiations between Iranian and American delegations faltered in April.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Saturday that the blockade is “very much still in place” amid reports that there is a tentative deal between the US and Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which Trump has not yet decided on.
The blockade applies to Iranian ships and vessels traveling to Iranian ports. The Pentagon estimated earlier this month that it has cost Iran around $4.8 billion in oil revenue.
Earlier, US forces operating in the Arabian Sea enforced naval blockade measures against an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel attempting to sail toward an Iranian port on April 19.
Guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance (DDG 111) intercepted M/V Touska as it transited the north Arabian Sea at 17 knots enroute to Bandar Abbas, Iran. American forces issued multiple warnings and informed the Iranian-flagged vessel it was in violation of the US blockade.
(IANS)
