In brief
U.S. Central Command confirmed that a military aircraft disabled a St. Kitts‑flagged cargo ship attempting to break a U.S. blockade of Iran in the Gulf of Oman. The vessel was hit at the stern after crew members were instructed to abandon certain areas. The incident occurs amid a broader U.S. naval campaign to curb Iran’s sanctioned movements and a new task force to counter Tehran’s export of advanced weapons.
According to a statement released by U.S. Central Command, a St. Kitts‑flagged cargo vessel was disabled yesterday by an American military aircraft after it tried to leave Gulf of Oman waters near an Iranian port. The U.S. plane fired precision munitions at the ship’s stern after the crew abandoned what Central Command called “targeted areas.”
The incident, reported by Reuters on Saturday, comes as the United States maintains an extensive naval blockade restricting Iran’s ability to export oil and other sanctioned goods. Central Command said the blockade has prevented Iran from exporting more than $25 billion in crude oil.
Alongside the strike, the U.S. military announced a new task force aimed at disrupting Tehran’s movement of advanced weaponry and other prohibited materials across land borders and the Caspian Sea.
The operation comes amid heightened tensions, with President Donald Trump reportedly threatening new offensive actions against Iran, while Tehran has warned of broad retaliation against Gulf infrastructure—a stance that has increased regional unease.
Authorities credited the shoot‑down to an aircraft operating under the U.S. blockade enforcement regime, though no independent verification of the vessel’s status has been publicly released beyond the Central Command statement.
