U.S. Aircraft Disables Ship M/V Huda Running Iran Blockade
A U.S. aircraft fired on the stern of the St. Kitts-flagged M/V Huda in the Gulf of Oman on Nov. 7 after it tried to break the blockade of Iran, CENTCOM said.
Featured photo: USS Dwight D. Eisenhower transits the Strait of Hormuz on July 21, 2016 (file photo, not from this event). Photo: U.S. Navy / J. Alexander Delgado, Wikimedia Commons, public domain.
GULF OF OMAN — A U.S. military aircraft fired precision munitions at the stern of the St. Kitts-flagged cargo ship M/V Huda on Nov. 7, 2026, disabling it after its civilian crew ignored repeated warnings and tried several times to break the U.S. naval blockade of Iran, U.S. Central Command said, CBS News and the Associated Press reported.
The crew was told to leave the targeted parts of the ship before the strike, CENTCOM said. The ship had visited an Iranian port and was trying to leave regional waters, the command said.
What CENTCOM said
CENTCOM posted video of the strike on X, Reuters reported via The Times of Israel. “All mariners transiting near Iranian coastal areas or surrounding waters are advised to heed blockade warnings from U.S. forces,” the command said, according to CBS News. It did not say whether anyone aboard was hurt or what the ship carried.
A separate shipping alert
The U.K. Maritime Trade Operations center said a bulk carrier and military forces were involved in an incident about 18 nautical miles east of Khor Fakkan in the United Arab Emirates, Reuters reported. UKMTO did not name the vessel, and U.S. officials have not publicly tied that report to the M/V Huda.
The blockade so far
The U.S. says the blockade redirected 144 commercial vessels through the end of October, CBS News reported. On the same day, CENTCOM formed Task Force Iron Gate to cover Iran’s land borders and the Caspian Sea, and President Trump confirmed what he called “minor strikes” on an Iranian air defense site after Iranian state media reported missiles hitting Qeshm Island.
What to watch
Assessment: Firing on a merchant ship is a step up from redirecting vessels, and it raises the cost for shipowners testing the blockade. Watch for the ship’s owner or flag state to respond, and for any Iranian retaliation against shipping in the Gulf of Oman.
Sources
- CBS News (with AP): Live updates on the Iran war, Nov. 7, 2026
- The Times of Israel (Reuters): US military says strike disabled ship trying to run blockade on Iran
- The Times of Israel: Live blog, Nov. 7, 2026 (UKMTO report via Reuters)
Related coverage
- Iran War Update Nov 7, 2026: Trump Talks, Riyadh Intercepts
- CENTCOM Forms Task Force Iron Gate to Watch Iran’s Land Routes
- U.S. Sanctions Fake Ship Registries Used by Iran’s Tankers
