US Military Disables Cargo Vessel in Gulf of Oman After Iran Port Visit

An American military aircraft fired on and disabled a commercial vessel attempting to break the US naval blockade of Iran on Saturday, US Central Command said. The St. Kitts-flagged cargo ship was struck after visiting an Iranian port. US forces directed the crew to abandon targeted spaces before firing precision munitions at the vessel's stern. The action builds on a months-long naval blockade that Central Command estimates has prevented Iran from exporting over $25 billion in crude oil. The US military also announced a new task force to intercept advanced weapons and sanctioned material moving over Iran's land borders and through the Caspian Sea. President Donald Trump has threatened new offensive action against Iran, which has warned of retaliation against Gulf infrastructure.