The US military says it fired on a Panama-flagged cargo vessel in the Gulf of Oman after accusing the ship of attempting to break its blockade of Iranian ports.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said a Navy helicopter fired two Hellfire missiles at the Vela Nova, targeting its engine room and disabling its steering system. According to CENTCOM, the vessel had ignored repeated warnings from US forces before attempting to sail toward an Iranian port.
The military did not report whether any crew members were injured.
CENTCOM said the incident was part of its ongoing enforcement of the US blockade, claiming American forces have already disabled dozens of commercial vessels and boarded others since the blockade was reinstated.
The attack comes as diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran remain stalled. A previous US-Iran memorandum of understanding had temporarily eased tensions and was intended to pave the way for negotiations over sanctions, Iran’s nuclear programme and a longer-term peace agreement. However, the arrangement later broke down as fighting resumed.
US President Donald Trump has recently demanded compensation from Iran for decades of alleged damage, while Tehran has insisted that reconstruction assistance should form part of any eventual agreement.
The situation has also affected major shipping routes in the region. Iran has continued to assert control over the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy route, while Houthi attacks have added further risks around the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.
Iranian officials have said the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until Washington changes its approach and accepts Tehran’s conditions. Iran is separately holding discussions with Oman over shipping arrangements in the strait.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi travelled to Tehran on Tuesday for talks with Iranian officials, as diplomatic efforts continue to seek a broader resolution to the conflict.
