WASHINGTON, May 31, (V7N) – The United States military said on Saturday that it disabled a cargo vessel attempting to sail to Iran by striking its engine room with a missile after the ship allegedly ignored repeated warnings.
US Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees American military operations in the Middle East, said the incident took place on May 29 involving the Gambia-flagged cargo vessel M/V Lian Star.
According to CENTCOM, the vessel failed to respond to more than 20 warnings issued by US forces before action was taken.
“A US aircraft disabled the vessel by firing a Hellfire missile into the ship’s engine room after Lian Star’s crew failed to comply. The ship is no longer transiting to Iran,” CENTCOM said in a statement posted on X.
The US military did not mention whether there were any casualties or injuries among the crew members aboard the vessel.
CENTCOM added that US forces have so far disabled five commercial vessels and redirected 116 others as part of efforts to enforce the blockade on Iranian ports while a fragile ceasefire with Tehran remains in place.
The United States has maintained a naval blockade around Iranian ports amid escalating tensions in the Gulf region, while Iran has effectively halted maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz — a strategic global route for oil and gas shipments.
Diplomatic negotiations aimed at securing a long-term ceasefire and reopening the Strait of Hormuz are ongoing, but no final agreement has yet been reached.
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