WASHINGTON, June 8 (Xinhua) -- U.S. forces disabled an unladen oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman on Monday, the U.S. Central Command said, claiming the vessel violated the ongoing U.S. naval blockade against Iran by attempting to sail to an Iranian port.
"U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) disabled Palau-flagged M/T Marivex as it transited international waters in the Gulf of Oman toward Iran," the command said on X, adding that the vessel's crew failed to comply with directions from U.S. forces.
Marivex is no longer sailing to Iran after an F/A-18 Super Hornet from USS Abraham Lincoln fired a precision munition into the ship's engineering and steering spaces, said the command.
Since the blockade was initiated on April 13, the U.S. military has disabled seven "non-compliant vessels," redirected 134 ships that complied, and allowed 42 vessels supporting humanitarian aid to pass, according to the command. ■
