U.S. military forces struck and disabled a commercial cargo vessel in the Gulf of Oman after its crew allegedly ignored repeated warnings and attempted to leave the region following a visit to an Iranian port, U.S. Central Command said Saturday.

The vessel, flying the flag of St. Kitts and Nevis, was targeted by a U.S. military aircraft that fired precision munitions at its stern, according to CENTCOM.

The crew had been instructed to leave the areas targeted before the strike.

The incident comes as Washington continues enforcing a naval blockade aimed at restricting shipping activity connected to Iran. The blockade covers waters around the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, a major international route for oil shipments.