U.S. Fires on Ship Breaking Its Blockade of Iran
American forces shot at the Panama-flagged vessel from a helicopter
Updated Aug. 11, 2026 The Wall Street Journal
U.S. forces fired on a Panama-flagged ship that attempted to run the American blockade of Iranian ports early Tuesday, a U.S. official said, stepping up enforcement as the Trump administration attempts to squeeze the regime economically.
A U.S. military helicopter fired at the rudder of the ship after its crew ignored warnings from American personnel working to enforce the naval blockade of Iran’s ports, the official said.
There were no immediate reports of any casualties in the incident, which took place before dawn on Tuesday. The U.S. official said the ship appeared to be attempting to transfer its crew to another civilian vessel after the attack.
Earlier Tuesday, maritime security firm Vanguard reported that a Panama-flagged containership called Vela Nova was struck by a missile fired from a helicopter while transiting westbound through the Gulf of Oman about 71 nautical miles from the coast of Pakistan.
“The missile struck the vessel, causing a fire that was subsequently extinguished,” said Vanguard in an initial report on the incident. All 17 crew were accounted for, it added.
In June, three Indian sailors were killed in a U.S. operation to enforce its blockade of Iran, an Indian official said at the time. Those were the first reported deaths resulting from the American effort to starve its foe of petrodollars and force it to make a deal to end the war.