New Delhi, May 7 -- The US military says it has intercepted and disabled an Iranian-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman after it allegedly attempted to breach a US-enforced maritime blockade and head toward an Iranian port.

In a statement, US Central Command said the vessel, identified as M T Hasna, was detected moving through international waters toward Iran earlier in the day. American forces issued multiple warnings, informing the ship that it was in violation of the blockade. According to CENTCOM, the crew failed to respond to repeated calls.

The US military said a Navy F A-18 fighter jet, operating from the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, then fired 20 millimetre rounds at the vessel, targeting and disabling its rudder. Of...