Forces of the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) rendered inoperable the cargo ship M/V Huda, registered under the flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis, in the Gulf of Oman, after its crew ignored repeated warnings and attempted multiple times to breach the U.S. naval blockade against Iran, as reported by the military agency itself.
According to the statement from CENTCOM shared on social media, a military aircraft fired precision munitions at the stern of the ship, rendering it inoperable. Before the attack, U.S. forces ordered the civilian crew to evacuate the areas designated as a target. The vessel was attempting to leave regional waters after having docked at an Iranian port.
The incident occurs amidst rising tensions in the region. On the same day, the Iranian Navy reported that another oil tanker caught fire after striking a naval mine in the eastern sector of the Strait of Hormuz, adding to two vessels that experienced similar mishaps on Friday in that strategic shipping route.
A day earlier, President Donald Trump confirmed new limited strikes against an Iranian air defense system on Qeshm Island, which he claimed was destroyed in a matter of minutes. The Wall Street Journal reported that Washington has been carrying out minor attacks on defensive infrastructure on that island for weeks, aiming to weaken Iran's control over the Strait of Hormuz.
CENTCOM indicated that since the resumption of the blockade in July 2026, its forces have redirected 147 commercial vessels and immobilized five freighters that refused to comply with orders. The agency also mentioned the prior destruction of 10 Iranian commercial oil tankers linked, according to its claims, to the network of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). According to CENTCOM's estimates —without independent verification— the blockade has prevented Iran from exporting more than 25 billion dollars in oil.
Meanwhile, CENTCOM announced the creation of the Iron Gate Task Force to curb the supply of weapons, a group of about 20 civilian and military personnel based in Tampa, Florida, aimed at preventing Iran from transporting arms and sanctioned materials through land routes and the Caspian Sea.
Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of CENTCOM, stated that the new unit "will further limit Iran's ability to finance terrorism, rebuild weapon manufacturing facilities, and resupply its military forces."
The attack on the M/V Huda is not the first of its kind in the Gulf of Oman. In mid-October, U.S. forces bombed the M/V Ocean Molica —also identified as Arika Sun, flying the Panamanian flag— for attempting to breach the blockade, with no injuries reported in that instance.
CENTCOM issued a direct warning to international navigation: "All mariners navigating near Iranian coastal areas or surrounding waters are advised to heed the blocking warnings issued by U.S. forces."
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