US Military Fires Hellfire Missiles at Cargo Ship, Targeting Iran Blockade

Sun Sep 06 2026 01:45:43 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

A US helicopter fired missiles at a cargo ship attempting to breach the Gulf of Oman blockade, disabling its steering gear and halting its planned arrival in Iran. The incident underscores mounting tensions in the Middle East.

U.S. Central Command reported that an MH‑60 helicopter fired two Hellfire missiles into the Panama‑flagged M/V Vela Nova's engine room as it tried to navigate the Gulf of Oman toward an Iranian port. The strike disabled the vessel’s steering gear and halted its transit. The action followed repeated warnings from American forces that were ignored by the ship’s civilian crew. The U.S. blockade of Iranian ports remains in effect, with dozens of vessels already redirected or intercepted. The incident coincides with ongoing hostilities that have seen Iranian attacks on Israel and U.S. allies, as well as Houthi strikes on cargo vessels in the Red Sea.

US Military Fires Hellfire Missiles at Cargo Ship, Targeting Iran Blockade

The U.S. Central Command (Centcom) announced that an MH‑60 helicopter fired two Hellfire missiles into the engine room of the Panama‑flagged M/V Vela Nova on Tuesday. The missiles hit the ship while it was attempting to transit the Gulf of Oman toward an Iranian port, disabling its steering gear and preventing further movement.

Centcom said the crew had ignored repeated warnings from American forces before the strike was carried out. No casualties were reported. The ship has since been reported as no longer transiting to Iran.

The U.S. blockade of Iranian ports, imposed after failed diplomatic efforts to end the conflict that began on 28 February, remains in full effect. According to Centcom, by 11 August the U.S. had redirected 55 commercial vessels attempting to run the blockade, disabled three non‑compliant ships, and boarded two.

Amid escalating tensions in the region, Iranian forces have targeted Israel and U.S. allies, and the Strait of Hormuz has seen a sharp decline in traffic due to security concerns. In a related incident on the same day, Yemen’s internationally recognised government reported that its Iran‑backed Houthi rebels struck a cargo ship in the Red Sea, killing six and injuring ten. The Houthi cited the ship as carrying Saudi military equipment.