US military hits Panamanian-flagged cargo ship heading to Iran

The US military has hit the Panamanian-flagged cargo ship M/V Vela Nova in the Gulf of Oman with two Hellfire missiles, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said.

According to CENTCOM, the ship was attempting to violate a US naval blockade of Iran and failed to heed repeated warnings from US forces. As a result, a US Navy MH-60 helicopter opened fire on the ship’s engine compartment, causing the ship to lose control.

According to CENTCOM, the ship will not proceed to Iran and the blockade remains in full force.

Since the blockade was re-established, the US military has diverted 55 commercial vessels, damaged three ships that had not complied and boarded two ships.

The incident is believed to be linked to information released by the British Maritime Trade Operations Centre (UKMTO) about a military attack on a container ship in the Gulf of Oman.