US Central Command said on the 7th that it attacked a commercial ship flagged in St. Kitts and Nevis in the Gulf of Oman for trying to break the maritime blockade on Iran. The vessel had left an Iranian port and ignored US warnings, so a precision-guided missile was fired at its stern and left it unable to sail, Central Command said.
Since July, the blockade has turned back 147 commercial ships and disabled five by attack, according to Central Command.
The same day, Central Command announced it would set up a special team to stop Iran moving weapons, funds and sanctioned goods across its land borders. The team will have about 20 military personnel. It did not say how the movement would be stopped.
Attacks on civilian shipping in the Gulf carry direct risk for Japan, which relies on the region for crude oil and other goods. Any widening of the blockade raises the cost and danger of the tanker routes serving Japanese ports.