Video: U.S. Forces Destroy Iranian-Linked Vessel Accused Of Targeting Navy Ships

US forces destroyed an Iranian-affiliated dhow accused of conducting surveillance and targeting US Navy ships in the Gulf of Oman, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said.

The operation took place on October 6. The vessel’s crew was safely removed before the dhow was destroyed, and efforts to repatriate them are ongoing, CENTCOM said in a statement posted on X on Wednesday.

The US military also accused Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of repeatedly targeting civilian mariners travelling through regional waters, as well as US Navy warships, over the past seven months.

The incident comes a day after Iran announced a new naval deployment extending east of the Strait of Hormuz across the Sea of Oman and the Arabian Sea.

The United States has continued enforcing a naval blockade of Iran, which, according to reports, resumed on July 14 and covers vessels travelling to or from Iranian ports.

On Saturday, CENTCOM said US forces had disabled a commercial cargo vessel in the Gulf of Oman after its crew allegedly ignored repeated warnings and attempted to violate the blockade.

The Panama-flagged M/V Ocean Molica, also known as the Arika Sun, had departed an Iranian port before being intercepted in regional waters, according to the US military.

CENTCOM said an American fighter jet struck the vessel’s stern with a precision-guided munition, disabling its propulsion system. No crew members were injured.

On Oct. 6, U.S. forces destroyed an Iranian-affiliated dhow conducting surveillance and targeting U.S. Navy ships in the Gulf of Oman. Over the past seven months, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has continued to indiscriminately target thousands of civilian mariners transiting regional waters in addition to U.S. Navy warships. Crew members were safely removed prior to destruction of the dhow. Repatriation efforts are ongoing.

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) October 14, 2026

Iran’s Navy announced on Tuesday that it had deployed operational units in a new formation extending east of the Strait of Hormuz, across the Sea of Oman and the Arabian Sea.

Iranian state media said the deployment was intended to provide continuous, real-time surveillance of maritime traffic and activities Tehran considers hostile.

The Iranian Navy urged vessels operating in the region to keep their electronic equipment switched on and comply with international regulations. It also asked ships to coordinate their passage with Iranian armed forces, saying the measures were intended to ensure safe transit.

The announcement followed the identification of a tanker that Iranian authorities said had caught fire while attempting to pass through a restricted area with its tracking systems switched off.

Rear Admiral Ali Ozmaei, commander of the IRGC Navy, described the US military as a “fuel smuggler” and claimed that US naval forces and aircraft carriers were unwilling to move within striking distance of Iranian forces.

Ozmaei also challenged Washington’s assertion that the Strait of Hormuz remained open and secure. He threatened to sink US aircraft carriers if they approached the entrance to the strait, according to Press TV.

CENTCOM has rejected Iran’s claims that it controls the Strait of Hormuz, pointing to continued maritime operations by US forces and regional partners.

The US military also rejected allegations by Iran’s ambassador to the International Maritime Organisation that American forces were using threatening and provocative language towards Iranian mariners, causing psychological pressure on civilian crews.

CENTCOM described those allegations as false and said the US naval blockade had been communicated professionally and was intended to restrict Tehran’s activities. It also said commercial shipping continued through the Strait of Hormuz under coordinated protection from US forces and regional partners.

References: MoneyControl, israelnationalnews