US says destroyed Iranian-linked vessel targeting Navy ships in Gulf of Oman

US forces destroyed an Iranian-affiliated dhow in the Gulf of Oman on October 6 after determining it was conducting surveillance and targeting US Navy warships, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said Wednesday, adding that the vessel’s crew had been safely evacuated before its destruction.

In a statement posted on X, CENTCOM said the vessel had been involved in surveillance and targeting activities directed at US naval ships operating in the region.

“On Oct. 6, US forces destroyed an Iranian-affiliated dhow conducting surveillance and targeting US Navy ships in the Gulf of Oman,” CENTCOM said.

The military command confirmed that all crew members had been safely removed from the vessel before it was destroyed.

It added that efforts to repatriate the crew were ongoing, without specifying the number of people aboard or their nationalities.

The command also accused Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of repeatedly targeting civilian and military vessels in regional waters over the past seven months.

“Over the past seven months, [the IRGC] has continued to indiscriminately target thousands of civilian mariners transiting regional waters in addition to US Navy warships,” CENTCOM said.

The incident comes amid heightened maritime security tensions in the Gulf region, where commercial vessels and military ships have faced threats to navigation.

The Gulf of Oman connects the Arabian Sea to the Strait of Hormuz, a strategically important waterway through which a significant share of global oil shipments passes.