The Iranian-flagged crude oil tanker M/T Hasna was en route to an Iranian port despite a U.S. blockade that has been in place since April 13.
A U.S. fighter jet fired upon and disabled an oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman on May 6, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced.
CENTCOM, which oversees military operations in the Middle East, said U.S. forces determined the Iranian-flagged crude oil tanker M/T Hasna was sailing toward an Iranian port on Wednesday, despite a U.S. blockade that has been in effect since April 13. According to CENTCOM, U.S. forces notified the tanker that it was sailing in violation of the blockade, and issued multiple warnings to the vessel.
At around 9 a.m. ET (5 p.m. local time), after Hasna’s crew failed to heed the U.S. warnings, the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln dispatched an F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet to stop the vessel. The fighter jet fired a series of shots from its 20mm cannon to disable the tanker’s rudder, and the Hasna has since halted its course toward Iran.
The M/T Hasna was unladen at the time of the incident.
The Wednesday intercept incident is one of dozens of instances in which U.S. blockade forces have prevented vessels from entering or exiting Iranian ports in the past three weeks.
As of May 6, CENTCOM reported U.S. forces had blocked or redirected more than 50 vessels attempting to conduct trade with Iran.
U.S. forces have previously employed disabling fire to enforce the blockade.
On April 19, the guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance used its Mk. 45 five-inch deck gun to fire a series of inert rounds into the engine room of the Iranian-flagged container ship M/V Touska, to disable its propulsion and prevent it from bypassing the blockade.
Washington and Tehran have been competing for control over the Strait of Hormuz for the past two months. After U.S. and Israeli forces commenced strikes on Iran on Feb. 28, Iranian forces began attacking ships attempting to pass through the strait, which acts as a chokepoint on a key route for oceangoing trade.
This week, U.S. forces launched a mission, known as Project Freedom, to safely escort commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz. The maritime escort mission was to run parallel to the U.S. blockade of Iranian trade, undermining Tehran’s leverage over the waterway.
As Project Freedom went into effect, Iranian forces stepped up attacks on vessels approaching the Strait of Hormuz.
President Donald Trump paused Project Freedom on May 5, but announced the blockade of Iranian ports would remain in effect. The same day, Tehran announced a new office to implement an Iranian toll over ships attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
This is a developing report. Please check back for updates.
By Ryan Morgan
