US Navy Super Hornet disables Iranian oil tanker with 20mm cannon shot
The US Navy has taken action to enforce its blockade of Iran’s ports by disabling an Iranian-flagged oil tanker in international waters. According to the Pentagon’s Middle East headquarters, a Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet was dispatched from the Gulf of Oman to intercept the M/T Hasna after the ship was observed steaming toward an unidentified Iranian port.
The carrier-capable Super Hornet was launched from the USS Abraham Lincoln, which is operating in the Gulf of Oman, according to the USNI News fleet tracker. A second carrier strike group is also in the region with the USS George HW Bush. The F/A-18E/F disabled the Hasna by firing a burst of 20mm cannon fire through the tanker’s rudder after the vessel’s crew “failed to comply with repeated warnings.” The ship was not carrying any oil at the time of engagement, according to Washington.
US Blockade of Iranian Ports Remains in Effect
The US Navy‘s action is part of the ongoing US blockade of Iran’s ports, which was declared on April 13. The move was a response to Tehran’s closure of the crucial Strait of Hormuz, which was itself initiated in response to the US-Israeli bombing campaign launched on February 28. Washington has maintained that its blockade is necessary to prevent Iran from using oil exports as a means of funding terrorism and other illicit activities.
Iranian Oil Tanker Fleet Under Scrutiny
The Hasna is just one vessel in a larger network of ships used by Iran to circumvent international sanctions against Russia. The Boracay represents one vessel in this fleet, which has been under scrutiny by the US Navy and other Western powers. Some ships operating in the region have been turning off their AIS transponder systems (the maritime equivalent of ADS-B for aircraft) in an attempt to avoid detection and targeting by belligerents on either side.
US Marines Conduct Helicopter-Borne Air Assault
In a separate development, US Marines conducted a helicopter-borne air assault onto an Iranian container ship on April 20. The operation was part of the ongoing US military campaign against Iran’s maritime capabilities. Open-source ship tracking puts the Hasna’s last recorded position as just south of Sri Lanka on April 17, heading toward the Middle East. The vessel last made port in Singapore in January, according to VesselFinder.
Ongoing Diplomatic Talks
Despite the ongoing hostilities, diplomatic talks between Tehran and Washington are currently underway to find a permanent resolution to the war. These talks have been paused temporarily while both sides engage in limited military operations under their respective blockades. Iran has attacked targets in the UAE and ships in the Strait of Hormuz, while the US has intercepted or seized multiple Iranian commercial vessels.
Original Article: US Navy Super Hornet disables Iranian oil tanker with 20mm cannon shot — Flightglobal