U.S. Central Command Says Navy Disabled Tanker Headed for Iran in Oman Gulf

According to Lianhe Zaobao citing Xinhua, U.S. Central Command said U.S. forces opened fire on an oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman on Friday, July 24, and disabled the vessel while it was sailing toward Iran. Central Command spokesman Hawkins told U.S. media that the tanker violated the U.S. maritime blockade on Iran, tried at least four times to break through the blockade, and that the crew repeatedly ignored warnings and refused to cooperate. U.S. forces then fired at the tanker’s engine room, leaving it unable to continue sailing. Since the U.S. resumed the maritime blockade on Iran on July 14, this was the second commercial vessel hit by U.S. forces and rendered incapable of navigation. The U.S. also forced 12 other ships to change course.