United States Central Command forces disabled a commercial cargo vessel in the Gulf of Oman on 10 October after its crew ignored repeated warnings and attempted to run an ongoing naval blockade against Iran.
A US military fighter jet struck the stern of the Panama flagged vessel M/V Ocean Molica, also known as the Arika Sun, with a precision munition. The strike fully disabled the ship’s propulsion without harming the crew. The large cargo vessel was attempting to transit regional waters after having previously departed an Iranian port.
CENTCOM forces resumed the United States blockade against all ships entering or departing Iranian ports on 14 July. During three months of strict enforcement, four commercial vessels have been disabled and 135 ships have been turned around. US forces have also destroyed 10 tankers linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps multibillion dollar shadow network over the same period.
All mariners are advised to heed blockade warnings from CENTCOM forces. Crews should continue to monitor Notice to Mariners broadcasts and contact US naval forces on bridge to bridge channel 16 when operating in the Gulf of Oman and the approaches to the Strait of Hormuz.
By John James
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