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US helicopter disables Panama-flagged ship in Gulf of Oman
CENTCOM said it redirected 55 ships trying to run the blockade and boarded two others as of Tuesday.
A US Navy MH-60 helicopter fired missiles into the engine room of a Panama-flagged cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman, disabling it after warnings were ignored, the US military said. US Central Command added that the M/V Vela Nova is no longer transiting to Iran in violation of the US blockade.
The incident involved the ship’s attempt to break the American blockade of Iran’s ports, according to CENTCOM. Earlier, UK Maritime Trade Operations reported an incident in the same area involving a container ship and military forces, without providing further details.
CENTCOM said the episode was the third time the United States had forcibly halted a vessel during its months-long war against Iran since reinstating the ports blockade on July 14. It also said it redirected 55 ships that tried to run the blockade and boarded two others as of Tuesday.