According to foreign media reports, a latest photo circulating online shows that a US Navy fighter jet conducted a blockade operation near the Gulf of Oman, causing damage to an Iranian oil tanker “Star 3”, which suffered damage and visible flames.
The photo shows scorch marks and flames near the funnel area of the Iranian National Tanker Company (NITC) very large crude carrier “Star 3” (IMO number 9569205). Notably, the vessel was not carrying any cargo at the time.
A post on a tanker tracking website read: “On May 8, an F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet from the US Navy aircraft carrier ‘George H.W. Bush’ (CVN 77) opened fire on the funnel of the Iranian National Tanker Company (NITC) very large crude carrier ‘Star 3’ at coordinates 25.63345 degrees north latitude and 57.92449 degrees east longitude.” The coordinates indicate the vessel was located in the eastern Gulf of Oman near Iran’s Jask port, just outside the Strait of Hormuz.
The tanker tracking agency previously stated that satellite images showed both the “Star 3” and the tanker “Sevda” had anchored in waters east of Iran’s Jask Peninsula after being attacked by US military forces on May 8.
According to the US Central Command, an F/A-18 “Super Hornet” fighter jet launched from the aircraft carrier “George H.W. Bush” (CVN-77) fired precision-guided munitions at the funnels of “Star 3” and the tanker “Sevda” as the two vessels were preparing to enter an Iranian port in the Gulf of Oman.
The Central Command stated that the strikes were intended to disable the vessels rather than sink them.
In a statement issued on May 8, US Central Command Commander Admiral Brad Cooper said: “US forces in the Middle East will continue to fully enforce the blockade on vessels entering and leaving Iran. Our well-trained military personnel are doing an excellent job.”
The command stated that as part of the blockade enforcement operations, over 50 commercial vessels had been rerouted and multiple ships had been disabled.
The US enforcement action coincides with multiple clashes between Iran and the US in and around the Strait of Hormuz, including missile and drone attacks on commercial vessels, mine-laying threats, and retaliatory strikes on naval assets and Iran-linked ships.
Despite numerous diplomatic efforts to stabilize the region, commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains severely disrupted.
As shipping activity in the Gulf region remains far below normal levels, concerns are growing over the conditions of thousands of seafarers stranded on vessels in the area.
Compiled and edited by Shipping Online
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