US Forces Target Tanker in Gulf of Oman Amid Port Blockade Escalation
Third Strike This Week Targets Vessel Attempting to Circumvent Blockade
Poinews.com – US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Thursday that its forces had disabled a second oil tanker this week, as part of a broader effort to tighten the Iranian port blockade. The attack occurred in the early morning hours of Thursday, with a US aircraft launching two Hellfire missiles into the engine room of the Guinea-Bissau-flagged vessel after the crew ignored repeated instructions from American forces.
“Precision munitions were deployed into the ship’s engine room following the crew’s failure to comply with US directives,” CENTCOM stated in a post on X, confirming the vessel as the Palau-flagged MT Settebello. This marks the third incident of the week and the ninth since the blockade’s initiation on 13 April.
International Response and Crew Evacuation
Early Thursday, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) Centre reported a fire on a tanker located 21 nautical miles northeast of Sohar, Oman. The Indian embassy in the country noted that Omani naval authorities were evacuating crew members from the scene. According to British marine security firm Vanguard, the vessel had 20 crew members on board during the incident.
Context of the Blockade and Previous Attacks
The strike follows a similar incident the day prior off Oman’s coast, underscoring the US military’s ongoing operations in the Gulf of Oman. On Monday, a US F-18 Super Hornet from the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln had already disabled the Palau-flagged MT Marivex under the same rationale.
“Precision munitions were fired into the ship’s engine room after the crew repeatedly failed to comply with directions from American forces,” US Central Command clarified in a statement, identifying the MT Settebello as the target.
India’s Diplomatic Protest and Casualty Updates
India summoned the senior US diplomat in New Delhi on Wednesday to express a “strong protest” after the attack left three Indian crewmembers missing. These sailors were later confirmed dead, intensifying regional tensions. The US military reported that since the blockade began on 13 April, it has redirected 135 ships and permitted 42 vessels for humanitarian aid to pass through the strait.
Competing Blockades in the Strategic Waterway
Tehran halted cargo ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz at the start of the war on 28 February, while the US has implemented its own blockade targeting all Iranian vessels and ports. This latest strike adds to a series of missile and drone attacks on commercial shipping in the area, highlighting the escalating conflict over the critical waterway.
