U.S. military forces opened fire on a Panama-flagged container ship attempting to breach the American naval blockade of Iranian ports in the early hours of Tuesday. An American military helicopter struck the rudder of the Vela Nova after its crew ignored repeated warnings, maritime security firm Vanguard reported.
The vessel was travelling west through the Gulf of Oman, approximately 71 nautical miles off the coast of Pakistan, when it was hit by a helicopter-launched missile. The strike sparked a fire that was later extinguished. All 17 crew members were accounted for and unharmed. The ship had recently called at ports in Mumbai and Port Klang.
The incident marks the second deadly enforcement action under the blockade decreed by President Donald Trump. In June, three Indian sailors were killed during a similar U.S. operation targeting Iranian ports.