US military shoots, disables unladen oil tanker headed to Iran

The US military shot and disabled an oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman on Monday for violating the blockade on Iran, the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) said.

CENTCOM disabled Palau-flagged M/T Marivex as it transited international waters in the Gulf of Oman toward Iran, according to the statement.

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“An F/A-18 Super Hornet from USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) fired a precision munition into the ship’s engineering and steering spaces after the crew failed to comply with directions from US forces,” CENTCOM said. “Marivex is no longer sailing to Iran.”

Since the blockade started on April 13, CENTCOM has disabled seven non-compliant vessels, redirected 134 ships and allowed 42 vessels supporting humanitarian aid to pass.

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