U.S. Navy fires missiles at cargo ship trying to breach Iran blockade
A U.S. Navy helicopter fired two Hellfire missiles at a cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman after its crew ignored repeated warnings to turn away from Iranian ports, disabling the vessel and causing a fire, according to U.S. officials. There were no immediate reports of casualties.
The predawn incident happened Tuesday as the Panama-flagged M/V Vela Nova was sailing toward an Iranian port in violation of the U.S. blockade, according to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM). Maritime security firm Vanguard said the ship was about 70 nautical miles off the coast of Pakistan.
CENTCOM forces disabled the vessel’s steering gear before an MH-60 helicopter fired two Hellfire missiles into its engine room. The ship is no longer heading toward Iran, but details about its current condition were not immediately released.
The missile strike caused a fire aboard the Vela Nova, but it was later extinguished, Vanguard said in information reported by The Washington Post. All 17 crew members were accounted for.
A U.S. official told the newspaper that the crew appeared to be attempting to transfer to another civilian vessel after the attack.
CENTCOM said the blockade remains in full effect. As of Tuesday, U.S. forces have redirected 55 commercial vessels attempting to reach Iran, disabled three ships that failed to comply with orders and boarded two others.
President Trump first imposed the blockade in April before lifting it in June as part of an agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and begin winding down the war. He reimposed it in July after Iran resumed attacks on ships in an effort to assert control over the strait.
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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
