US Forces Destroy Iranian-Affiliated Dhow Accused of Tracking Navy Ships in Gulf of Oman

WASHINGTON, Oct 15: US forces have destroyed an Iranian-affiliated dhow accused of conducting surveillance on and targeting US Navy ships in the Gulf of Oman, according to a US military statement.

The statement said the vessel was destroyed after being identified as conducting surveillance and targeting activities against US Navy ships in the strategic waterway.

All crew members were safely removed from the dhow before it was destroyed, while efforts to repatriate them are ongoing, the statement added.

The US military further accused Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of continuing, over the past seven months, to indiscriminately target thousands of civilian mariners transiting regional waters, in addition to US Navy warships.

The incident underscores continuing security concerns in regional waters, where commercial shipping and military vessels operate along strategically important maritime routes.