WASHINGTON: The US military has said it destroyed an Iranian-affiliated ship in the Gulf of Oman on October 6, alleging that the ship was conducting surveillance and targeting US Navy ships in the region.
In a statement posted on social media platform X on Wednesday, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said US forces had destroyed the ship after identifying it as a threat to American naval ships operating in the Gulf of Oman.
“Crew members were safely removed prior to destruction of the dhow. Repatriation efforts are ongoing,” CENTCOM said, adding that arrangements were being made to return the crew members to their home country.
On Oct. 6, U.S. forces destroyed an Iranian-affiliated dhow conducting surveillance and targeting U.S. Navy ships in the Gulf of Oman. Over the past seven months, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has continued to indiscriminately target thousands of civilian mariners transiting regional waters in addition to U.S. Navy warships. Crew members were safely removed prior to destruction of the dhow. Repatriation efforts are ongoing.
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) October 14, 2026
The US military also accused Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of continuing to target civilian mariners and US Navy warships operating in regional waters.
According to CENTCOM, the IRGC had continued such activities over the preceding seven months, allegedly targeting thousands of civilian mariners travelling through regional waters, in addition to US naval vessels.
The command described the alleged targeting as indiscriminate but did not provide further details about the ship, its crew or the circumstances surrounding its destruction in the statement.
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The incident comes amid continuing security concerns in the Gulf of Oman, a strategically important waterway connecting the Arabian Sea with the Gulf region. The area is a key route for commercial shipping and naval operations, making maritime security a significant regional concern.
CENTCOM did not specify the nationality of the ship’s crew or provide details about when and where they would be repatriated. The statement also did not include a response from Iranian authorities to the allegations.
