US military disables cargo ship Huda in Gulf of Oman, saying it repeatedly tried to breach Iran blockade

The US military said on Saturday, November 7, that a US military aircraft fired precision munitions at the stern of a commercial vessel in the Gulf of Oman, disabling it after the ship repeatedly tried to breach the American naval blockade of Iran. US Central Command (CENTCOM) identified the vessel as the St. Kitts and Nevis-flagged bulk carrier M/V Huda, which had visited an Iranian port and was attempting to leave regional waters; its civilian crew had ignored repeated warnings. US forces directed the crew to abandon the targeted spaces before firing, and CENTCOM did not say whether anyone on board was hurt. (Photo: a bulk carrier, file photo, not the vessel involved. Photo: Tranter.)

Precision strike on the stern after crew cleared the area

According to CENTCOM, the Huda tried several times to violate the blockade, and the aircraft fired precision-guided munitions at its stern after the crew had been directed to leave the targeted sections. The ship is about 159 metres long, was built in 1999 and has a deadweight of about 25,000 tonnes; it was located about 18 nautical miles east of Khor Fakkan in the United Arab Emirates. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations office also recorded an incident involving military forces and an unnamed bulk carrier in the same area, with the crew's condition and the extent of the damage still unconfirmed. CENTCOM did not identify the Iranian port, the vessel's cargo, or the evidence used to determine that it was attempting to breach the blockade.

Fifth merchant ship disabled since July; 147 vessels turned back

CENTCOM said that since the naval blockade of Iran resumed in July, 147 commercial vessels have complied with warnings and turned back, while the Huda is the fifth merchant ship to be disabled after refusing orders. The command estimated that the blockade has prevented more than $25 billion in Iranian crude oil from being exported. The last confirmed US strike on a cargo vessel was nearly a month ago.

Task Force Iron Gate to target weapons movements by land and across the Caspian

CENTCOM also announced on Saturday the launch of Task Force Iron Gate, a team of about 20 civilian and military personnel based in Florida, to crack down on Tehran's movement of advanced weapons and other sanctioned material over its land borders and through the Caspian Sea. Iranian state media reported on Saturday evening the sound of explosions on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz and in the port of Jask, though no link to the US action has been confirmed. President Donald Trump said on Friday that the US military had carried out new limited strikes against Iran, targeting an Iranian air defence system.

(Sources: US Central Command; Reuters; Associated Press; gCaptain, November 7, 2026.)