The United States Central Command destroyed an Iranian-affiliated dhow in the Gulf of Oman earlier this week, releasing footage of the strike after safely evacuating the crew. Mathrubhumi reported that the vessel had been conducting surveillance on U.S. naval warships prior to the military action.
Escalating Friction in the Gulf of Oman
According to Mathrubhumi, the targeted dhow was actively monitoring U.S. naval assets in the sensitive waterway. The U.S. Central Command stated that the crew was removed from the vessel and secured before the strike commenced. Authorities are currently processing the crew members for deportation.
Iranians recover new iPhones floating in Strait of Hormuz🔗 https://t.co/V2IakWuW4b pic.twitter.com/WGy6rj9eGP
Mathrubhumi noted that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has repeatedly targeted commercial vessels and U.S. naval ships over the past seven months.
In a separate interception earlier in October, U.S. forces stopped a Panama-flagged commercial vessel named the Ocean Molica, also referred to as the Arika Sun. That vessel was attempting to bypass U.S. sanctions targeting Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz. A U.S. warplane disabled the ship’s engine system during that intervention, though no injuries were reported among the crew.
Diverging Claims Over Strait of Hormuz Incidents
While the U.S. military focused its operations on the dhow in the Gulf of Oman, reports regarding civilian cargo traffic emerged concerning the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed a cargo ship sank after striking a mine in the Strait of Hormuz. It marks the first time Iran has reported such a mine strike amid ongoing tensions.
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore confirmed that two Singapore-registered ships faced attacks while transiting the Hormuz route on Tuesday and Wednesday. One vessel sank completely, while the second ship reached safety. Authorities verified that the crew members from the sunken Singaporean vessel were rescued safely.
| Incident Date | Location | Vessel Type / Name | Reporting Outlet | Reported Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 2026 | Gulf of Oman | Iranian-affiliated dhow | Mathrubhumi | Destroyed by U.S. CENTCOM after crew evacuation |
| October 10, 2026 | Strait of Hormuz | Commercial ship (Ocean Molica / Arika Sun) | Mathrubhumi | Engine disabled by U.S. warplane for sanctions breach |
| Mid-October 2026 | Strait of Hormuz | Singapore-registered cargo ship | Singapore Maritime and Port Authority | Sank after reported attacks / maritime incidents |
