A US Navy fighter jet disabled the rudder of an Iranian-flagged tanker on Wednesday with its 20 mm cannon.

The tanker was trying to bypass the blockade of Iran's ports, the US military said.

It's the second time the US has used force against an Iranian commercial ship in recent weeks.

A US Navy fighter jet knocked out the rudder of an Iranian-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman on Wednesday using its 20 mm cannon, the American military said.

The incident is the second time that the Navy has used force to disable an Iranian commercial vessel since the Trump administration began its blockade of maritime traffic going in and out of Iranian ports last month.

US Central Command, which oversees American forces in the Middle East, said it observed the unladen tanker M/T Hasna as it transited international waters en route to an Iranian port on the Gulf of Oman.

The ship "failed to comply" with repeated US military warnings that it was sailing in violation of the blockade, CENTCOM said. A Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet that launched from the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln fired several rounds from its 20 mm cannon gun into the tanker's rudder.

In addition to the missiles that the Super Hornet is able to carry on its wings, the carrier-based fighter jet is also armed with an internal 20 mm M61A2 six-barrel rotary cannon.

CENTCOM said it disabled the tanker, which is "no longer transiting to Iran." It added that the blockade of Iran's ports "remains in full effect."

Last month, a Navy destroyer fired nine inert rounds from its 5-inch deck gun into the engine room of an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel trying to evade the blockade in the Arabian Sea. It marked a rare use of force by the Navy against a non-combat vessel.

The destroyer, USS Spruance, intercepted the cargo ship M/V Touska, which was sailing toward Iran through the Arabian Sea at 17 knots. The Navy said that it issued several warnings, which the vessel ignored. The warship then ordered the evacuation of the engine room and opened fire.

The strikes disabled the Touska, which was subsequently boarded by Marines.

Operation Epic Fury, the US military operation against Iran, has concluded, US officials have said. The more recent focus for American forces has been on securing the movement of maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz as part of a newly launched initiative called "Project Freedom."

US Navy ships have been working in recent days to clear a path through the Strait and establish a defensive umbrella for commercial vessels.

Iran has fired drones and missiles at these ships and US military vessels in the area. The US has fended off threats and responded with force, including using helicopters to sink Iranian small boats.

President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that "Project Freedom," which began earlier this week, has been paused as Washington and Tehran discuss a potential deal.

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