US forces disabled the dry bulk carrier Huda in the Gulf of Oman on Saturday after it called at an Iranian port, The Maritime Executive reported. US Central Command said the ship had disregarded repeated warnings and made multiple attempts to breach the naval blockade against Iran. It was the first commercial vessel the US reported disabling since October 10.
The 24,993-deadweight-tonne carrier was attempting to leave regional waters, according to CENTCOM. UK Maritime Trade Operations placed it roughly 18 nautical miles east of Khor Fakkan in the United Arab Emirates and said the crew’s condition was unknown. CENTCOM said it had instructed those aboard to leave the areas being targeted before a US military aircraft fired precision munitions at the stern. Footage released with the announcement showed an explosion at the rear of the ship, the outlet reported.
Huda is registered in St Kitts and Nevis and operates under Turkish management. Built in 1999, the bulker measures 159 metres in length. The Maritime Executive said it did not appear to be subject to sanctions. The previous reported disabling involved another bulk carrier, Ocean Molica, which US forces struck in the Gulf of Oman on October 10. In that case, too, US authorities said the vessel had failed to comply with instructions after departing an Iranian port.
CENTCOM said 147 commercial ships had been redirected since the blockade resumed in mid-July. According to its account, the current operation has disabled five vessels, following the earlier destruction of 10 commercial tankers that it said supported Iran’s oil trade. The figures were reported by The Maritime Executive as part of the military’s account of its enforcement campaign.
The latest strike followed a rise in regional incidents. UKMTO recorded six confirmed attacks during the opening days of November and five in late October, the report said. Its year-to-date tally stood at 133 vessels damaged and 82 injuries or fatalities. Separately, Iran has issued daily claims that multiple ships have hit mines in the Strait of Hormuz; those claims were distinct from UKMTO’s confirmed incident figures.