The United States military confirmed on Tuesday that it fired upon a cargo vessel in the Gulf of Oman, alleging the ship was attempting to bypass the ongoing American blockade of Iranian ports. This incident occurs during a period of relative stability in the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, following a 13-day escalation in July that saw the collapse of a June memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Washington and Tehran.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) stated that a Navy helicopter deployed two Hellfire missiles against the Panama-flagged vessel, the Vela Nova. According to military officials, the ship “attempted to transit the Gulf of Oman and violate the U.S. blockade against Iran by sailing toward an Iranian port.” The strike successfully targeted the vessel’s engine room and disabled its steering mechanism. CENTCOM alleged that the ship’s crew had “ignored repeated warnings from American forces,” though no information regarding potential crew injuries was provided.
In its Tuesday update, CENTCOM noted that since the blockade began, US forces have disabled 55 commercial vessels, boarded two ships, and rendered three additional “non-compliant vessels” inoperable. The naval blockade was reinstated following the recent resumption of hostilities, which also saw Iran reassert control over the Strait of Hormuz. These actions effectively reversed provisions of the June MoU, which had aimed to restart negotiations regarding sanctions and Iran’s nuclear program.
Diplomatic efforts to restore the agreement remain stalled. On Monday, President Donald Trump increased pressure on Tehran by demanding reparations for what he described as “50 years” of damage. Iran has historically insisted that any comprehensive deal must include reconstruction funding, pointing to a preliminary $300 billion fund outlined in the June agreement.
Amid these tensions, Iran is prioritizing direct discussions with Oman to establish alternative shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz—a critical waterway that previously facilitated 20 percent of global maritime fossil fuel trade before the war began on February 28. Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, told the Tasnim news agency that the strait “will not be opened until the United States changes its behaviour and accepts Iran’s conditions.” Rezaei emphasized that any potential shipping arrangement with Oman remains distinct from the status of the strait.
The regional situation is further complicated by ongoing attacks from Yemen-based Houthis against vessels in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. Meanwhile, international mediation efforts continue, with Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi arriving in Tehran on Tuesday to hold talks with Iranian officials regarding the broader conflict.
Efforts to return to an agreement have so far yielded little progress, with Trump on Monday appearing to up the ante as he called for reparations from Iran for “50 years” of damage.
It did not say if any crew members were wounded in the attack.
