Washington, August 12, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
US forces disabled the steering system of a Panama-flagged cargo vessel after it allegedly attempted to breach the US blockade of Iranian ports by sailing towards an Iranian port, the US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) said.
According to CENTCOM, the incident involved the M/V Vela Nova, which was attempting to transit the Gulf of Oman when American forces intervened.
“CENTCOM forces disabled the steering gear of Panama-flagged M/V Vela Nova as the cargo vessel attempted to transit the Gulf of Oman and violate the US blockade against Iran by sailing toward an Iranian port,” the command said.
CENTCOM said a US Navy MH-60 helicopter fired two Hellfire missiles into the vessel’s engine room after its civilian crew allegedly ignored repeated warnings from US forces.
“The ship is no longer transiting to Iran in violation of the U.S. blockade, which remains in full effect,” the command said.
Maritime security firm Vanguard said in an initial report that a missile struck the vessel, triggering a fire that was subsequently extinguished.
CENTCOM said that as of August 11, its forces had redirected 55 commercial vessels attempting to circumvent the blockade, disabled three vessels that did not comply with its directions and boarded two others.
The development comes amid heightened US military activity in the region.
Separately, the US-led Combined Joint Task Force–Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR) held a change-of-command ceremony in the Middle East on August 11. Maj. Gen. Kevin Lambert handed over command of the task force to Rear Adm. Liam Hulin.
Established by US CENTCOM in 2014, CJTF-OIR works with regional partner forces to counter ISIS in Iraq and Syria. CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper presided over the ceremony and highlighted the task force’s role in countering terrorism, strengthening partnerships and promoting regional security and stability.
Cooper also commended Lambert for his leadership during his tenure.
The command transition comes as CJTF-OIR continues working with regional partners against the ISIS threat and supporting wider efforts to strengthen security across the region.
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