US Navy Helicopter Disables Panama-Flagged Vessel in Gulf of Oman
A U.S. Navy MH-60 helicopter fired two Hellfire missiles into the engine room of the Panama-flagged vessel M/V Vela Nova after it allegedly ignored repeated warnings while attempting to bypass the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports. U.S. Central Command confirmed the vessel was disabled in the Gulf of Oman. The strike occurred amid heightened tensions as the U.S. maintains "total control" over the Strait of Hormuz to prevent Iranian shipping transits.
Date: August 12, 2026
Location: Gulf of Oman, Oman
Conflict: US-Iran Conflict
Category: naval
Severity: HIGH
Source: CBS News