Iran regional confrontation

US Navy helicopter fires on cargo ship Vela Nova to enforce Iran port blockade

ATTACK
Location
Gulf of Oman (Vela Nova transit toward an Iranian port; CENTCOM)
Actors
United States · Iran
Importance
Notable

US Central Command said a Navy helicopter fired two Hellfire missiles at the Panama-flagged cargo vessel Vela Nova in the Gulf of Oman after the ship ignored warnings and sailed toward an Iranian port in violation of the US blockade; CENTCOM said the shots disabled the engine room and steering gear.

Al Jazeera and Reuters reported CENTCOM’s 11 August 2026 statement that Vela Nova (IMO 9136228) attempted to transit the Gulf of Oman toward an Iranian port. The helicopter strike is recorded as a blockade-enforcement act, not a boarding. CENTCOM said US forces had redirected 55 commercial vessels, disabled three non-compliant ships and boarded two under the reimposed blockade; this package is the named Vela Nova action only. Crew casualties were not reported.

Verification: Confirmed

Evidence: US military fires on cargo vessel it said sought to break Iran blockade, Four crew, two rescuers killed in Red Sea attack; US strikes ship in Gulf of Oman

Confirmed multi-outlet coverage of the CENTCOM operational statement; exact firing coordinates were not published.