CENTCOM Fires on Cargo Ship Vela Nova in Gulf of Oman, Says It Blocked an Iran Bound Route

According to a report published by Al Jazeera on Tuesday, August 11, 2026 (20 Mordad 1405), US Central Command (CENTCOM) said a US Navy MH-60 helicopter fired two Hellfire missiles at the Panama flagged cargo vessel Vela Nova, disabling its engine room and steering gear in the Gulf of Oman. CENTCOM claimed the ship was attempting to violate the US naval blockade of Iran by sailing toward an Iranian port, and that its crew ignored repeated warnings from US forces. CENTCOM said US forces have redirected 55 commercial vessels, disabled three "non compliant" vessels and boarded two since the blockade was intensified. According to Ecoiran, Iran has repeatedly warned that all shipping through the area requires its permission and has rejected CENTCOM's account of the incident. The strike came after the naval blockade of Iranian ports was reimposed following the collapse of a June ceasefire memorandum between Iran and the United States, with Iran reasserting its own control over the Strait of Hormuz.