US Navy disables St. Kitts ship
The vessel ignored warnings while attempting to exit the Strait of Hormuz during ongoing mediation talks between Washington and Tehran.
By Chinedu Schneider ·
US military forces disabled a commercial ship flying the St. Kitts flag on Saturday after the vessel ignored repeated warnings and attempted to breach the naval blockade surrounding Iran. CENTCOM announced late Saturday that US aircraft fired precision munitions at the stern of the ship in the Gulf of Oman. The civilian crew of the vessel had tried to violate the blockade multiple times before the strike.
US forces have enforced a naval blockade in and around the Strait of Hormuz for months. This waterway is a key route for global shipping, including oil transports. The previous confirmed US strike on a cargo vessel occurred nearly a month ago in the same region. Saturday's action follows at least two recent instances where CENTCOM did not publicly announce strikes carried out in the area. Officials at the command declined to confirm those earlier strikes when asked about local reports of explosions.
Iranian state media reported hearing explosions on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday evening. Reports also indicated several explosions in the port of Jask. The cause of these blasts was not immediately clear, and the US military did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Iranian military stated late Saturday that two tankers hit mines in the Hormuz area and caught fire, though it did not identify the flags or destinations of those vessels.
President Donald Trump told reporters on Friday that the US military had carried out new limited strikes against Iran. He said the targets included an Iranian air defense system and described the action to reporters as minor. CENTCOM did not comment on this specific action even after Trump confirmed the strikes. For weeks, Trump has indicated he is considering launching a new wave of strikes on Iran after the US midterm elections held on November 3. Observers have watched closely for signs that the US might resume full-scale operations against Iran for the first time in almost two months.
Two Middle East government officials said on Friday that Iran is reviewing proposals presented by Qatari mediators. These proposals aim to address differences between Tehran and Washington regarding Iran's nuclear program. One official stressed that Iran remains unwilling to engage in direct negotiations with the Trump administration until the US agrees to several core conditions. These conditions must be part of any ceasefire agreement. The two officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly.
Tehran insists on several concessions that Trump has previously declined. Core demands include ending the US blockade on Iranian ports, lifting sanctions, unfreezing Iranian assets, issuing compensation for war damage, and ending hostilities throughout the region, including Israeli operations in Lebanon. Mediators and Iran have also discussed a potential bridge deal to pave the way for further talks on the nuclear program. Regional officials said this proposal calls for implementing trust-building measures over a two-day period.
The proposed measures include lifting the US blockade and releasing billions of dollars in frozen Iranian funds. In return, Tehran would allow International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors access to sites bombed by the US and Israel. On the second day, Iran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz in line with a modified agreement reached with Oman but not yet approved by the United States. This mechanism would be temporary until a permanent deal on the strait is reached in cooperation with other Gulf countries. Following these steps, the US and Iran would begin extensive talks on Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium.
According to the IAEA, Iran holds 440.9 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 percent purity. There is no civilian energy application for uranium at that level. The current war, which began more than eight months ago on February 28, was launched by the US and Israel to destabilize Iran's regime and destroy its ballistic missile and nuclear programs. A memorandum of understanding reached in June to settle the conflict quickly unraveled, leading to a stalemate. October marked the most attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz since March as Iran sought to increase economic pressure.
