United States forces disabled a commercial cargo vessel in the Gulf of Oman on Saturday after its crew ignored repeated warnings and attempted to breach the ongoing naval blockade against Iran, according to US Central Command (CENTCOM).

A US military fighter jet struck the stern of the Panama-flagged M/V Ocean Molica, also known as the Arika Sun, with a precision munition. CENTCOM stated the strike "fully disabling the ship’s propulsion without harming the crew." The vessel had previously departed an Iranian port and was attempting to transit regional waters.

CENTCOM reported that its forces resumed a blockade against all ships entering or departing Iranian ports on July 14. Over the subsequent three months, they disabled four commercial vessels and turned away 135 ships during what they described as "three months of strict enforcement." Additionally, US forces destroyed 10 tankers linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC’s) "multibillion-dollar shadow network" during the same period.

The incident occurs as Iran's IRGC also claimed to have struck a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz for attempting to take an "illegal route." Iran has been asserting its control over the vital waterway, with its forces stating they "have taken control of the administration of the strait."

In its statement, Iran's IRGC claimed that an LPG carrier named NV Sunshine, owned by NatWit, was struck for attempting to transit via an "illegal route south of the Strait of Hormuz." This action aligns with Tehran's efforts to enforce its own blockade and control passage through the strait.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency reported on Sunday that an outbound tanker in the Strait of Hormuz was struck on its port side by an unknown projectile, resulting in a fire. The UK agency noted that the crew members were reported safe, though the extent of the damage and environmental impact were not immediately known.

Tehran has sought to assert authority over the Strait of Hormuz throughout the ongoing conflict, insisting that vessels must obtain permission to cross using its designated routes. However, shipping traffic has increasingly risked utilizing alternative passages.

This escalation in maritime incidents highlights the heightened tensions and ongoing enforcement actions by both the United States and Iran in critical regional waterways. The disabling of the M/V Ocean Molica and the IRGC's actions in the Strait of Hormuz underscore the complex and volatile security situation affecting international shipping.