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U.S. forces disabled the rudder of an Iran-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman on Wednesday after the vessel attempted to sail toward an Iranian port in violation of a U.S. blockade, U.S. Central Command said.
CENTCOM said the vessel, identified as M/T Hasna, was an Iranian-flagged unladen oil tanker transiting international waters toward an Iranian port on the Gulf of Oman at 9 a.m. ET on May 6.
The command said U.S. forces operating in the Gulf of Oman enforced blockade measures after observing the tanker en route to the Iranian port.
CENTCOM said American forces issued multiple warnings to the vessel and informed its crew that the ship was in violation of the U.S. blockade.
After the crew of the M/T Hasna “failed to comply with repeated warnings,” U.S. forces disabled the tanker’s rudder, CENTCOM said in a post on X.
The command said a U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet launched from the USS Abraham Lincoln fired several rounds from its 20 mm cannon gun at the tanker’s rudder.
CENTCOM said the vessel was “no longer transiting to Iran” after the strike.
According to CENTCOM, the M/T Hasna was transiting international waters in the Gulf of Oman when it was observed by U.S. forces.
The command said the ship was attempting to sail toward an Iranian port despite the blockade measures in place.
It described the vessel as an Iranian-flagged unladen oil tanker.
CENTCOM said the U.S. blockade against ships attempting to enter or depart Iranian ports remains in full effect.
It added that U.S. forces “continue to act deliberately and professionally to ensure compliance.”
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