Sea routes near Oman under US blockade as cargo ship disabled in Gulf of Oman

U.S. forces disabled a commercial cargo vessel in the Gulf of Oman on Saturday, firing a missile at the ship after it had visited an Iranian port and tried to leave, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said. CENTCOM accused the vessel of attempting to break a U.S. naval blockade.

Key facts

• Date of the incident: Saturday, 7 November 2026
• Vessel: M/V Huda, flagged in St. Kitts
• Location: the Gulf of Oman
• Action taken: U.S. aircraft fired a missile at the ship's stern and disabled it
• Enforcement record since July: 147 commercial vessels redirected, five merchant ships disabled, according to CENTCOM

What happened to the ship?

CENTCOM said the M/V Huda had called at an Iranian port and then attempted to leave, in what the command alleged was an effort to violate the U.S. naval blockade. Before U.S. aircraft disabled the vessel, CENTCOM said it had "directed crew to abandon targeted spaces." U.S. forces then fired at the stern of the ship.

What does CENTCOM say about the blockade?

Enforcement actions since July have led U.S. forces to redirect 147 commercial vessels that complied with orders, while five merchant ships that refused to comply were disabled, according to CENTCOM. The command did not state in its announcement what would happen to the M/V Huda or its crew next.

What else did CENTCOM announce?

Earlier on Saturday, CENTCOM announced that Adm. Brad Cooper had directed the creation of a new task force based in Tampa, Florida, intended to control the flow of materials across Iran's land borders. The unit, named Task Force Iron Gate, aims to stop advanced weapons systems, dual-use technologies, sanctioned materials and illegal revenue streams moving across Iran's land borders and the Caspian Sea, according to CENTCOM.

What this means for travellers

The incident took place in the Gulf of Oman and involved a cargo vessel, not a passenger service. The source gives no guidance for travellers and no changes to entry rules, visas or airport operations in Oman or elsewhere. Anyone planning sea or air travel in the region should follow the advice issued by their own government.

No further enforcement actions, travel notices or follow-up measures were announced in the statement.