US helicopter fires missiles at Panama-flagged ship attempting to evade blockade
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said a US Navy MH-60 helicopter fired two Hellfire missiles into the engine room of the M/V Vela Nova, disabling the vessel's steering gear and preventing it from continuing towards Iran.
On Tuesday, August 11, US forces engaged a Panama-flagged cargo ship, the M/V Vela Nova, in the Gulf of Oman. The vessel had allegedly disregarded repeated warnings and sought to breach a US blockade imposed on Iranian ports. Central Command (CENTCOM) revealed that a US Navy MH-60 helicopter deployed two Hellfire missiles, targeting the engine room and incapacitating the ship's steering mechanism.
This action effectively prevented the Vela Nova from proceeding towards Iran in violation of the blockade. The military did not disclose any potential casualties among the ship's crew. Since the blockade's reinstatement on July 14, US forces have redirected 55 commercial vessels attempting to circumvent the restrictions, disabled three non-compliant ships, and boarded two others. This incident marks the third forced halt of a vessel by the US since the blockade's reinstatement.
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