A US Navy MH-60 helicopter fired two Hellfire missiles into the engine room of the Panama-flagged cargo ship M/V Vela Nova on August 11, 2026, in the Gulf of Oman 71 nautical miles off Pakistan's coast [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. The attack disabled the ship's steering gear and engine, preventing it from reaching an Iranian port in violation of the US naval blockade [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. US Central Command said the ship's civilian crew ignored repeated warnings before the strike. “The vessel is no longer transiting to Iran in violation of the US blockade,” CENTCOM said [1].
There were no immediate reports of casualties or injuries among the 17 crew members, all of whom were accounted for after the incident [3, 4, 5]. The ship reportedly caught fire after being hit, but the blaze was extinguished [5].
US Central Command stated that since reinstating the blockade on July 14, 2026, 55 commercial vessels have been redirected, three non-compliant vessels disabled, and two boarded during enforcement operations [1, 2, 3, 4]. The current blockade follows an earlier effort from April 13 to June 18, which saw nine ships disabled and over 140 vessels redirected [2].
The M/V Vela Nova incident comes amid heightened tensions related to a failing June memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran and ongoing regional conflicts involving Iran and its allies [4]. CENTCOM noted the vessel “attempted to transit the Gulf of Oman and violate the U.S. blockade against Iran by sailing toward an Iranian port.” [4]
The US Navy continues to enforce the blockade in the Gulf of Oman and monitor vessel compliance. Further interdiction efforts may be expected as the blockade remains in place.
