US, Iran Exchange Naval Strikes on Commercial Vessels — SkimNews
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- CENTCOM said a US fighter jet struck the stern of Panama-flagged M/V Ocean Molica with a precision munition on Saturday, "fully disabling the ship's propulsion without harming the crew," after it departed an Iranian port and ignored repeated warnings.
- CENTCOM resumed its naval blockade against all ships entering or departing Iranian ports on July 14, disabling four commercial vessels and turning around 135 ships over three months of strict enforcement.
- US forces also destroyed 10 tankers linked to the IRGC's "multibillion-dollar shadow network" during the same three-month period, according to CENTCOM.
- Senator Chris Murphy (D) questioned the strikes on X, asking "Why are taxpayers paying billions to hit commercial ships?" and suggesting the goal is leverage to "convince the Iranians to let us pay them billions."
- Iran's IRGC struck the LPG carrier NV Sunshine — owned by NatWit — in the Strait of Hormuz for attempting an "illegal route," claiming Iranian forces "have taken control of the administration of the strait."
- UKMTO confirmed the Hormuz incident, reporting the outbound tanker was struck on the port side by an unknown projectile, with crew reported safe but damage and environmental impact under investigation.
- Vessels have faced repeated attacks in both waterways since the US-Israel war began in late February, with the Strait of Hormuz carrying about a fifth of the world's oil and LNG before the conflict.
Why it matters: Each side is now disabling commercial vessels in separate waterways during the US-Israel war — a mutual blockade with US forces having turned around 135 ships and destroyed 10 IRGC-linked tankers over three months. Senator Murphy's on-record questioning of the cost underscores political friction, and Iran's "control" claim over the Strait of Hormuz places a waterway carrying roughly one-fifth of global oil and LNG directly in the conflict zone.
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