The US military said its forces fired on and disabled an Iranian-flagged tanker en route to an Iranian port in the Gulf of Oman earlier yesterday after it ignored warnings that it was violating the American naval blockade.
A US Navy fighter jet fired several rounds from a 20mm cannon, disabling the M/T Hasna.
“After the crew failed to comply with repeated warnings, US forces disabled the tanker’s rudder by firing several rounds from the 20mm cannon of a US Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet launched from USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72). Hasna is no longer transiting to Iran,” the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said.
“The US blockade against ships attempting to enter or depart Iranian ports remains in full effect.”
CENTCOM said its forces continue to act “deliberately and professionally to ensure compliance.”
Earlier yesterday, CENTCOM said that the blockade had forced more than 50 commercial vessels to turn around and return to port.
Meanwhile, a CMA CGM container ship San Antonio was attacked while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, injuring crew members and damaging the vessel, while another vessel run by the French group exited the Gulf, as the US-Iran conflict continued to disrupt shipping traffic.
The San Antonio was hit on Tuesday, with injured seafarers evacuated for medical treatment, CMA CGM, the world’s third-largest container shipping line, said yesterday, declining further comment.
It marked the latest attack on ships since the war erupted, stranding hundreds of vessels and disrupting 20pc of global oil trade.
Washington launched an operation on Monday to help escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz, allowing two US-flagged vessels to exit the Gulf.
However, US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday the effort would be briefly paused amid talks aimed at a broader deal with Iran.
Sources said the two sides were close to an initial agreement to end the conflict.
Tehran, meanwhile, has issued a map of the waterway expanding a zone it said was subject to its control, its state media reported.
Eight crew members of the San Antonio were wounded, the UN’s International Maritime Organisation said, in the 32nd such incident since the war began.
France was not specifically targeted, government spokesperson Maud Bregeon said, adding the crew were from the Philippines.
A maritime security source said the ship was struck by an Iranian projectile while attempting a night transit near Oman.
It was unclear if it was sailing under the now-paused US escort operation to release stranded ships.
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