US Central Command has reported that an MH‑60 helicopter fired two Hellfire missiles at the engine room of the Panama‑flagged MV Vela Nova, which attempted to transit the Gulf of Oman and breach the United States’ blockade of Iranian ports.
The strike disabled the vessel’s steering gear after the crew ignored repeated warnings from American forces, according to the U.S. claim. The ship is no longer transiting to Iran.
The incident comes amid a broader conflict that saw Iran retaliate with attacks on Israeli and U.S.‑allied targets, further tightening the Strait of Hormuz—the critical waterway for a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas. The U.S. blockade remains in force, having already redirected 55 commercial vessels, disabled three, and boarded two since the ceasefire collapsed in June.
Below is an image of the U.S. helicopter involved in the operation.
