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The United States Central Command (Centcom) reported that US military forces fired a missile at the engine room of a commercial vessel attempting to break the naval blockade imposed on Iran. The incident occurred in the Gulf of Oman, within the framework of the armed conflict between the two nations, which has had a strong impact on global energy markets.
According to the official statement issued by Centcom, the Hellfire missile attack was directed at the Lianstar vessel, flagged in Gambia, while it was transiting international waters en route to an Iranian port.
Military authorities specified that, before proceeding with the firing, US forces issued more than 20 consecutive warnings to notify the crew that they were in direct violation of current maritime transit restrictions.
Following the interception operation, Central Command confirmed that the cargo ship halted its advance and is no longer heading towards Iranian territory, although the military institution did not offer additional details about the current state of the vessel or its crew.
With this latest action, the number of vessels redirected or intercepted by the US military has risen to -at least- 115 since the naval blockade was formally implemented on April 13.
For his part, US Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, referred to the general situation of the conflict and warned that the country's armed forces are prepared to resume direct attacks against targets in Iran.
The Pentagon chief conditioned the suspension of military operations on the achievement of a formal diplomatic agreement that would end bilateral hostilities.
The prolonged armed confrontation continues to destabilize international trade because Iranian authorities have kept the Strait of Hormuz almost entirely closed.
The interruption in one of the world's most strategic maritime routes has caused a sustained increase in global energy and fuel prices in recent weeks.
Source: portalportuario
