The United States says a Navy helicopter fired missiles into the engine room of a Panama-flagged cargo vessel in the Gulf of Oman, disabling it after the ship attempted to violate the US blockade of Iranian ports. US Central Command (CENTCOM) says the MH-60 helicopter struck the M/V Vela Nova following repeated warnings to the civilian crew.

Outlet reports broadly echo CENTCOM’s account, describing the ship as no longer transiting to Iran and framing the incident as part of a wider US enforcement effort. Several sources note it is the third vessel the US has forcibly halted since the blockade was reinstated on July 14.

Some coverage adds additional operational context. One report says CENTCOM has redirected 55 ships that tried to run the blockade and boarded two others as of Tuesday, and recalls earlier interdictions between April 13 and June 18, when US forces disabled nine ships and redirected more than 140. Iran’s position is also referenced in one source, linking the blockade to Iran’s conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz amid regional shipping disruptions.