US Forces Destroy Iranian-Affiliated Vessel in Gulf of Oman
In a statement, CENTCOM said the vessel was involved in surveillance activities against U.S. naval ships. The crew members were safely removed before the dhow was destroyed, and repatriation efforts are ongoing, according to the statement.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – U.S. forces destroyed an Iranian-affiliated dhow in the Gulf of Oman on Oct. 6 after identifying it as conducting surveillance and targeting U.S. Navy ships, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Wednesday.
In a statement, CENTCOM said the vessel was involved in surveillance activities against U.S. naval ships. The crew members were safely removed before the dhow was destroyed, and repatriation efforts are ongoing, according to the statement.
CENTCOM also accused Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of targeting thousands of civilian mariners transiting regional waters over the past seven months, in addition to U.S. Navy warships.
The announcement comes amid heightened maritime security concerns around the Strait of Hormuz, where two vessels—a container ship and a dry bulk carrier—sank in separate incidents within a 24-hour period after being struck by projectiles, maritime officials said on Wednesday.
The Singapore-flagged container ship GFS Pride, which had a capacity of 2,824 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), sank while transiting the Strait of Hormuz after sustaining damage and catching fire. Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority said all 21 crew members were safely evacuated, with no injuries reported.
In a separate incident, the Antigua and Barbuda-flagged dry bulk carrier Cape Dao sank near the strait, according to data from the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The vessel had been struck by a projectile on Sept. 23, killing one crew member. The remaining crew members were evacuated following the attack.
The incidents come amid an escalation in attacks around the strategic waterway over the past 10 days, as Iran has said it is intensifying strikes in response to a U.S. blockade of its ports and tighter sanctions introduced last month.
The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea and serves as a critical route for global oil and gas shipments. Disruptions to maritime traffic in the area have raised concerns over the security of international shipping and potential repercussions for global energy markets.
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… pic.twitter.com/99Vn5TTxVh
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) October 14, 2026