What happened: U.S. MH-60 missile strike on M/V Vela Nova
The U.S. military said that on Tuesday a MH-60 helicopter fired missiles into the engine room of the Panama-flagged cargo ship M/V Vela Nova. The U.S. stated that the cargo ship was attempting to break an American blockade of Iran’s ports.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said the following sequence occurred:
The civilian crew of M/V Vela Nova ignored repeated warnings.After the missile strike, the ship was disabled.CENTCOM said M/V Vela Nova was no longer transiting to Iran in violation of the blockade.
Background and earlier position: ports blockade reinstated and interdictions reported
CENTCOM described the missile strike as part of a wider pattern of forced halts and redirections of vessels attempting to run the ports blockade against Iran.
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