On August 11, local time, according to US Central Command, US forces opened fire on the Panama-flagged cargo ship M/V Vela Nova.
US Central Command stated that the vessel was attempting to transit the Gulf of Oman, break through the US blockade on Iran, and head toward an Iranian port at the time.
The command added that the ship’s crew ignored multiple warnings from US forces, prompting a US Navy MH-60 helicopter to fire two Hellfire missiles at it. The vessel has since abandoned its attempt to breach the blockade, which remains in effect, according to the statement.
US Central Command also reported that as of August 11, 55 civilian vessels attempting to bypass the blockade had been forced to change course. Additionally, US forces disabled three non-compliant ships and conducted boarding inspections on two others.
According to the Wall Street Journal, there were no immediate reports of casualties from the incident. A US official noted that the crew appeared to be trying to transfer to another civilian vessel after the attack.
