Conflict & Security
US says helicopter disabled ship at Iran blockade
The US military said Tuesday that a US Navy MH-60 helicopter fired missiles into the engine room of a Panama-flagged cargo ship after it said the vessel tried to break the American blockade of Iran's ports.
US Central Command said on X that the helicopter disabled the M/V Vela Nova after the ship's civilian crew ignored repeated warnings from American forces. It said the vessel was no longer heading to Iran in violation of the US blockade.
CENTCOM said it was the third time the United States had forcibly halted a vessel since reinstating the ports blockade on July 14. It said US forces had redirected 55 ships that tried to run the blockade and boarded two others as of Tuesday.
CENTCOM said US forces previously blockaded Iranian ports from April 13 to June 18, disabling nine ships and redirecting more than 140 during that period.
Iran has demanded that the United States end the ports blockade as part of its conditions to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for oil and gas shipments before the war.
US President Donald Trump told reporters Tuesday: “We have total control over the Hormuz Strait right now. They don't have control. We have total control. We own it.”
Update
US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the United States had “total control” over the Strait of Hormuz.
Source note: AFP news report published on 12 August 2026 at 02:32:52 UTC.
Update
CENTCOM said this was the third time the United States had forcibly halted a vessel since reinstating the ports blockade on July 14.
CENTCOM said US forces had redirected 55 ships that tried to run the blockade and boarded two others as of Tuesday.
CENTCOM said US forces previously blockaded Iranian ports from April 13 to June 18, disabling nine ships and redirecting more than 140.
Iran has demanded an end to the US ports blockade as part of its conditions to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Source note: AFP news report published on 11 August 2026 at 19:29:13 UTC.
Update
The US military identified the vessel as the Panama-flagged M/V Vela Nova.
US Central Command said a US Navy MH-60 helicopter fired missiles into the ship's engine room.
US Central Command said the civilian crew had ignored repeated warnings from American forces.
US Central Command said the vessel was disabled and was no longer transiting to Iran.
Source note: AFP news report published on 11 August 2026 at 19:11:15 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
Claims about the vessel's intent, warnings to the crew and blockade violations are attributed to US Central Command.
Source
AFP news report published on .