US Central Command (CENTCOM) said its forces disabled the Panama-flagged cargo vessel Vela Nova in the Gulf of Oman after the ship allegedly attempted to transit towards an Iranian port in violation of a US blockade.

According to CENTCOM, a US Navy MH-60 helicopter fired two Hellfire missiles at the vessel’s engine room after its civilian crew did not respond to repeated warnings from US forces. CENTCOM said the action disabled the ship and prevented it from continuing towards Iran.

CENTCOM also described the vessel’s steering gear as having been disabled. No further details were provided regarding the extent of the damage, the condition of the crew or the vessel’s subsequent status.

The incident had previously been reported by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), which said a containership and military forces were involved in an event in the Gulf of Oman on 11 August. Initial reports suggested that the vessel may have been hit by a missile off the coast of Pakistan and identified the ship as Vela Nova.

CENTCOM said the US blockade remained in effect and reported that its forces had redirected 55 commercial vessels that allegedly attempted to breach it. The command also said three non-compliant vessels had been disabled and two others boarded.

US forces operating in the Middle East remain on heightened alert and are prepared to respond to further attempts to violate the blockade, according to CENTCOM.

The available information does not provide additional details about the cargo carried by Vela Nova, its ownership or management, its port of departure, the Iranian destination it was reportedly approaching, or whether there were casualties or pollution following the strike.