US military says it disabled cargo vessel in Gulf of Oman

On November 7, an American military aircraft disabled a commercial vessel attempting to breach the US blockade of Iran in the Gulf of Oman, according to US Central Command. The St. Kitts-flagged cargo ship, which had recently visited an Iranian port, was targeted as it attempted to depart the regional waters. A US plane fired precision munitions at the vessel's stern after US forces directed the crew to abandon specific areas, as reported by Central Command.

Following a months-long naval blockade on Iran, the US military announced on Saturday that they are deploying a task force aimed at curbing Tehran's movement of advanced weapons and other sanctioned materials through its land borders and the Caspian Sea. The naval blockade, according to Central Command, has effectively prevented Iran from exporting over $25 billion in crude oil.

US President Donald Trump has been vocal in his threats of a new offensive against Iran. In response, Tehran has warned of broad retaliation against Gulf infrastructure, causing a sense of unease among countries in the region.