A US fighter jet disabled a Palau-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman after the vessel attempted to breach an ongoing blockade of Iranian ports. According to CENTCOM, the crew of the unladen “M/T Marivex” ignored multiple warnings, prompting an F/A-18 Super Hornet to strike the ship’s engine and steering systems with precision-guided munitions. The targeted strike successfully halted the vessel’s advance toward Iran. Since the blockade began on April 13, US forces have neutralized seven defiant ships, redirected 134 compliant vessels, and safely permitted 42 humanitarian aid deliveries to pass.