Tehran [Iran] / London [UK], November 9: The US military has struck and disabled a commercial vessel in the Gulf of Oman for attempting to breach its naval blockade against Iranian ports "multiple times." "The cargo vessel tried to depart regional waters after visiting an Iranian port," the US Central Command (CENTCOM), which is responsible for the Middle East, wrote on X late on Saturday.
A US military aircraft then "fired precision munitions at the stern" of the M/V Huda "after the ship's civilian crew ignored repeated warnings." CENTCOM released a short video of the attack showing a missile striking the stern of a cargo ship, causing an explosion. The UAE coastguard reported that 22 people had been rescued following a fire in the Gulf of Oman.
The US has been blocking vessels from reaching and leaving Iranian ports for months in a bid to pressure Tehran to lift its own blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Gulf with the Gulf of Oman. Iranian attacks and threats on shipping through the key artery for the global oil and gas trade have sent energy prices surging worldwide. UKMTO also reports incident The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported overnight that a bulk carrier and military forces were involved in an incident in the Gulf of Oman.
The incident occurred on Saturday about 18 nautical miles (33 kilometres) east of Khor Fakkan on the coast of the United Arab Emirates, according to the agency. UKMTO did not specify which country's military forces were involved. The condition of the ship's crew, the extent of any damage and the potential environmental impact were not immediately known.(dpa)
Source: Qatar Tribune
