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US announces strike that disabled the Huda cargo ship

US Central Command said an American aircraft disabled Huda in the Gulf of Oman on November 7 after the cargo ship visited an Iranian port. The command accused its crew of ignoring blockade warnings. A British maritime security organisation located the vessel off the United Arab Emirates and said the condition of the people aboard was unknown.

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Side view of the dry bulk carrier Huda in the Gulf of Oman, with blast damage and scorch marks at the stern after the strike.

An aircraft struck Huda during the blockade

US Central Command, an American military headquarters, said it had disabled the cargo ship Huda in the Gulf of Oman on November 7. The announcement concerned an intervention during the continuing US naval blockade of Iranian ports.[1], [2]

A military aircraft fired precision-guided munitions at the stern, the command said. It accused the civilian crew of ignoring repeated warnings after the ship visited an Iranian port, and said personnel instructed them to leave the targeted spaces. Whether everyone reached safety has not been independently established.[1]

Maritime monitors placed the ship off the Emirates

United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, a maritime security organisation, placed Huda about 18 nautical miles east of Khor Fakkan in the United Arab Emirates. It said the crew’s condition was unknown. Huda flies the flag of St Kitts and Nevis; the vessel is a Turkish-managed dry bulk carrier built in 1999 and measuring 159 metres.[1]

Ocean Molica was targeted in October

The previous cargo ship the United States reported disabling was Ocean Molica, targeted on October 10. In the latest incident, the cargo aboard Huda and the Iranian port it visited were not identified. Released footage showed an explosion at the rear of the vessel.[1]

References

  1. News sourceThe Maritime ExecutiveUS says it disabled the cargo ship Huda in the Gulf of Oman↩1↩2↩3↩4
  2. News sourceLibnanewsCENTCOM says it struck Huda cargo ship↩
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