US Disables Gambia-Flagged M/V Lian Star in Gulf of Oman Over Iran Blockade Measures

The United States disabled a Gambia-flagged commercial vessel, M/V Lian Star, in the Gulf of Oman after it was observed moving in international waters in violation of blockade measures, according to US Central Command (CENTCOM).

Gulf News said the ship had been issued more than 20 warnings and that a US aircraft disabled the vessel after repeated non-compliance, bringing its transit to Iran to a halt.

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Al-Jazeera Net reported that CENTCOM confirmed it disabled the bulk carrier Lian Star after it failed to comply with several warnings issued by American forces as it attempted to sail toward an Iranian port at night.

Al-Jazeera Net added that a US military official said American aircraft struck the vessel with a missile that directly hit the engine room, causing it to stop and drift out of control in the Gulf of Oman without US forces boarding it.

Al-Jazeera Net said Tehran stressed strict navigation measures in the Strait of Hormuz and warned it would target any foreign military ships that interfere in its management.

The same report quoted a statement from the headquarters of Khātam al-Anbiya, saying that all ships and oil tankers are fully obliged to follow the routes set by Tehran and to obtain prior authorization from the IRGC Navy before crossing.

Al-Jazeera Net

Al-Jazeera Net also reported that the statement warned that any action by military ships to intervene in the management of the Strait of Hormuz would make them a legitimate target of Iranian fire.

In parallel, the report said the Oman Maritime Security Center urged mariners, fishermen, and ships to exercise maximum caution after spotting a floating object suspected to be a sea mine west of the coastal passage in the Strait of Hormuz within the Omani territorial waters.

Daily Pioneer said a high-level White House meeting between US President Donald Trump and senior officials ended without a final agreement, with tensions over the Strait of Hormuz and Tehran’s nuclear programme dominating negotiations.

Daily Pioneer reported that Trump had suggested Iran would clear naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz and that US naval restrictions could be lifted to allow shipping to resume, but that no formal confirmation followed the meeting.

Al-Jazeera Net said remarks by Trump after a White House operations room meeting imposed strict conditions, with him threatening on Truth Social that Iran must agree never to possess a nuclear weapon and to open the Strait of Hormuz immediately without fees.

Al-Jazeera Net added that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the United States is fully capable of resuming military operations if necessary, while Mohsen Rezaei, an adviser to Supreme Leader Khamenei, attacked the American administration for continuing the naval blockade and presenting what he called excessive demands in negotiations.