U.S. forces recently disabled a tanker linked to Iran’s shadow fleet in the Gulf of Oman, marking the seventh vessel halted since the maritime blockade on Iran began in April. The tanker, identified as Palau-flagged, was reportedly en route to an Iranian port when its crew failed to adhere to directives from U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM). An F/A-18 Super Hornet launched a precision strike, targeting the vessel’s engineering and steering systems, thereby incapacitating it and halting its journey.
CENTCOM noted that no injuries were reported during the incident, with the tanker being unladen at the time. This vessel has a prior record of involvement in Iranian oil trade and sanctioned for evading restrictions on Iran’s petroleum exports. This operation reflects a larger trend of escalating U.S. maritime enforcement actions aimed at curtailing Iranian oil shipments.
The recent seizure follows the disabling of another sanctioned tanker, the M/T Lexie, which also failed to comply with U.S. warnings. Overall, U.S. forces have disabled seven non-compliant vessels, redirected numerous compliant ships, and allowed humanitarian aid vessels to pass, demonstrating the extensive scale of the enforcement operation aimed at restricting Iran’s energy trade. As discussions between Washington and Tehran persist, the risk of U.S. enforcement actions looms over vessels aiming to access Iranian ports.
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