US strikes commercial cargo ship near Strait of Hormuz

The United States has carried out a strike on a commercial cargo vessel sailing toward Iran in the Gulf of Oman near the Strait of Hormuz, in a significant escalation of tensions over Washington’s naval blockade of Iranian ports.

The US military said the Panama-flagged Vela Nova was attempting to breach the blockade and head toward an Iranian port. The vessel was targeted after its crew allegedly ignored repeated warnings and instructions from US forces.

According to the US Central Command (CENTCOM), a US Navy helicopter fired two Hellfire missiles at the vessel on Tuesday (August 11), targeting its engine room. The strike disabled the ship and triggered a fire, which was later brought under control.

US officials said 17 crew members were aboard the vessel when it was attacked. All were reported safe, with no casualties reported so far.

Maritime security sources said the vessel was located in the Gulf of Oman, approximately 71 nautical miles off the coast of Pakistan, at the time of the incident.

CENTCOM said the operation was conducted as part of the US naval blockade around Iranian ports. Washington has warned that vessels attempting to breach the blockade and enter Iranian ports could be intercepted or disabled. The US military has previously reported stopping or disabling several other commercial vessels under similar circumstances.

The latest strike comes amid a renewed escalation in US-Iran tensions. The two countries had reached an understanding in June aimed at reducing hostilities, under which the naval blockade around Iranian ports was lifted. However, after fighting intensified again, the blockade was reinstated in July.

The development has raised fresh concerns over commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman, two strategically vital waterways for global trade and energy supplies.

Tensions have also affected another major maritime corridor, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, where attacks involving Iran-backed Houthi forces have added to maritime security concerns.