US fighter disables cargo ship after blockade breach attempt
A US fighter jet disabled a Panama-flagged cargo ship that attempted to breach a naval blockade against Iran.
The M/V Ocean Molica was hit with a precision munition that fully disabled the ship's propulsion without harming the crew. The vessel had left an Iranian port and attempted to transit regional waters despite warnings.
US Central Command warned all mariners to heed blockade warnings and contact US naval forces. The number of vessels transiting the vital strait fell to the lowest in more than two months.
Attacks on tankers in the region have reached their highest level since the US and Israel launched military action against Iran in February. Before the war, the Strait of Hormuz carried 20 per cent of the world's oil consumption.
- Lowest in more than two months
- Vessel transits
- February, US and Israel launched
- War start date
Why it mattersDisruptions to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz ripple through global oil markets and consumer fuel prices, affecting economies worldwide.
Corroborated bythenightly.com.au
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