US Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet strikes, disables oil tanker in Gulf of Oman
The U.S. military on Monday disabled an oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman that U.S. Central Command said “violated the ongoing blockade against Iran by attempting to sail to an Iranian port.”
The Palau-flagged M/T Marivex, which was reportedly traveling without cargo, was transiting international waters in the Gulf of Oman when its crew failed to respond to directions from U.S. forces in the region.
A U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln responded by firing a precision munition into the Marivex‘s engineering and steering spaces.
“Marivex is no longer sailing to Iran,” a release from U.S. Central Command stated.
To date, U.S. forces carrying out the naval blockade — launched April 13 — in waters around Iran have disabled seven non-compliant ships, according to the command release.
Well over 100 vessels have complied and been redirected, while 42 ships transiting the area with humanitarian aid have been permitted to pass.
The U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet disabled the oil tanker M/T Marivex in the Gulf of Oman on Monday, as it attempted to sail to an Iranian port. This action is part of an ongoing naval blockade against Iran, which has seen seven non-compliant vessels disabled since its initiation on April 13. The tanker was reportedly traveling without cargo and failed to respond to U.S. forces' directions.
- U.S. Navy disabled the oil tanker M/T Marivex in the Gulf of Oman.
- The tanker was attempting to sail to an Iranian port.
- The operation involved a precision strike by an F/A-18 Super Hornet.
- This incident is part of a naval blockade against Iran that began on April 13.
- Seven non-compliant ships have been disabled during the blockade.