The US military has disabled a Panama-flagged cargo vessel, Vela Nova, after it disregarded multiple directives to stop defying a naval blockade on ports in Iran. According to Central Command, a US Navy MH-60 helicopter struck the engine room of the Vela Nova with two Hellfire missiles, rendering the ship inoperable.
The attack occurred after the ship’s civilian crew ignored repeated warnings from American forces. The US Navy confirmed that the ship is no longer transiting to Iran in violation of the US blockade, which remains in full effect. As of August 11, Central Command has redirected 55 commercial vessels attempting to run the blockade, disabled three non-compliant vessels, and boarded two.
The US imposed a blockade on Iranian ports and coastal areas east of the Strait of Hormuz in April, which was later lifted in June following an interim ceasefire deal. However, the blockade was reinforced in mid-July. The Strait of Hormuz had been open before the war launched by the US and Israel on February 28, but Tehran effectively closed the waterway to maritime traffic in response, disrupting global oil and gas supplies and driving up fuel and food prices.
The US and other countries dispute Iran’s claim of control over the channel, citing international law on freedom of navigation. Despite the initial deal with the US, Iran continued to exert leverage over the sea route by demanding ships seek permission to transit, raising the threat of future charges and attacking vessels.
The US military stated that its forces operating in the Middle East are
