The US military announced Saturday that it had disabled a Gambia-flagged cargo ship attempting to reach an Iranian port by launching a missile into the vessel’s engine room.
According to US Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees operations in the Middle East, the incident occurred on May 29 after the M/V Lian Star ignored more than 20 warnings. CENTCOM said a US aircraft fired a Hellfire missile at the ship’s engine room after repeated attempts to communicate with the crew failed. As a result, the Lian Star is no longer en route to Iran, CENTCOM stated in a post on X.
CENTCOM’s statement did not specify whether any injuries occurred aboard the Lian Star following the strike.
To date, US forces have disabled five commercial ships and diverted 116 vessels as part of efforts to fully enforce the blockade, while a ceasefire with Iran remains in effect, according to CENTCOM.
The blockade of Iranian ports by the United States comes as Tehran has effectively halted all maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital conduit for global oil and gas shipments.
Talks aimed at achieving a long-term resolution to the conflict and reopening the waterway have yet to produce a final agreement.
— AFP
