ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Monday that its forces had disabled an unladen oil tanker bound for Iran in the Gulf of Oman as the US maritime blockade of Iranian ports remains in effect. This comes as British maritime authorities stated that over 50 shipping incidents have been recorded in regional waters since the outbreak of the Iran war.
CENTCOM said American forces disabled the Palau-flagged motor tanker Marivex “as it transited international waters in the Gulf of Oman toward Iran,” adding that one of its aircraft “fired a precision munition into the ship’s engineering and steering spaces after the crew failed to comply with directions from U.S. forces.”
“Marivex is no longer sailing to Iran,” CENTCOM said.
The Command further noted that its forces “have disabled seven non-compliant vessels, redirected 134 ships that complied, and allowed 42 vessels supporting humanitarian aid to pass” since Washington initiated its naval blockade of Iranian ports in mid-April.
The incident comes as diplomatic efforts are ongoing to secure a comprehensive resolution to the Iran war.
The US and Israel in late February launched a large-scale aerial campaign against Iran, striking thousands of targets across the country over six weeks of hostilities, before the warring sides agreed to a Pakistan-mediated ceasefire on April 8, halting fighting to allow space for talks.
While the first round of talks concluded without a final agreement on April 11, a second round has yet to take place, with a comprehensive resolution to the conflict still pending.
Alongside the diplomatic efforts, Tehran and Washington engaged in reciprocal maritime measures. Iran tightened its control over shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, while the US imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports beginning April 13.
US President Donald Trump on Monday stated that “final negotiations on ‘Peace’ are proceeding,” adding that “the Blockade [on Iranian ports] will remain in place, and in full force and effect, until a ‘Final Deal’ is reached.”
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump added, “Things should move quickly.”
Of note, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) confirmed on Monday that the tanker disabled by CENTCOM forces had “experienced a fire on board, resulting in the evacuation of the crew.”
The British navy monitor added that since the onset of the Iran war, it has received 54 incident reports involving vessels in the Arabian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz, and the Gulf of Oman, including 29 attacks, 23 instances of suspicious activity, and two hijackings.
