WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — A United States (US) helicopter on Tuesday fired missiles into the engine room of a Panama-flagged cargo ship that attempted to break the American blockade of Iran’s ports, the United States military said.

The US Navy MH-60 helicopter fired on and disabled the M/V Vela Nova “after the ship’s civilian crew ignored repeated warnings from American forces,” US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on X, adding that the vessel “is no longer transiting to Iran in violation of the US blockade.”

It was the third time the United States, in a months-long war against Iran, has forcibly halted a vessel since reinstating the ports blockade on July 14.