US forces have disabled a St Kitts-flagged cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman after its crew ignored repeated warnings and tried to breach the naval blockade of Iran, US Central Command said.

The vessel, identified as the M/V Huda, was struck on Saturday after it attempted to leave regional waters following a visit to an Iranian port. A US military aircraft fired precision munitions at the ship's stern after American forces instructed the civilian crew to abandon the targeted spaces, Central Command said in a statement carried by Reuters.

The strike targeted the ship's propulsion and steering rather than attempting to sink the hull, according to reports of the operation. No casualties were reported.

Blockade enforcement since July

Central Command said its forces have redirected 147 commercial vessels since July and disabled five merchant ships that refused to comply with the blockade. The command also said the blockade, which has been in place for several months, had prevented Iran from exporting more than $25 billion worth of crude oil.

It was the first confirmed US strike on a cargo vessel in nearly a month, and the latest sign that Washington is enforcing its blockade of Iranian ports with force even as it signals that new strikes on Iran itself are unlikely for now.

Iron Gate task force

On the same day, Central Command announced the creation of Task Force Iron Gate, a unit intended to disrupt the movement of advanced weapons systems, dual-use technologies and sanctioned materials through Iran's land borders and the Caspian Sea, widening the blockade beyond the sea.

The incident came on a day of conflicting claims at sea. Iran's Revolutionary Guards Navy said two oil tankers had caught fire after hitting mines in the Strait of Hormuz, a claim the US military has disputed. Britain's maritime trade agency also reported an incident involving a bulk carrier and military forces about 18 nautical miles east of the UAE city of Khor Fakkan, in the Gulf of Oman, saying it was unclear whether it was related to the reported US attack.

A war fought at sea

The US and Israel began attacks on Iran on 28 February, and Tehran has sought to hit back by targeting vessels in the Strait of Hormuz to block Gulf energy exports, while US forces began blockading movements to and from Iranian ports in April. Both sides have continued to strike at shipping, restricting exports of energy and other goods vital to the world economy, and the waterway remains one of the most dangerous stretches of sea for commercial shipping.