West Asia war LIVE: U.S. helicopter fired on ship that tried to break Iran ports blockade

Home News World This 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 Updated - August 12, 2026 06:45 am IST The container ship Vela Nova, which was fired on by a U.S. helicopter. File | Photo Credit: Reuters A U.S. helicopter on Tuesday (August 11, 2026) 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.Also read | Do not write the obituary of international law yetThe U.S. 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,” U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said on X, adding that the vessel “is no longer transiting to Iran in violation of the U.S. 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.Also read | A new security triangle emerges with the Makkah Pact CENTCOM said it has redirected 55 ships that tried to run the blockade and boarded two others as of Tuesday (August 11, 2026).Follow here for LIVE updates:August 12, 2026 06:45 U.S. says it fired missiles to disable ship violating Iran blockadeThe U.S. military yesterday said it had used ⁠missiles to disable the steering ‌gear of a Panama-flagged cargo ‌ship which ‌ignored ⁠repeated warnings ⁠to stop violating a naval blockade on Iranian ‌ports.A U.S. Navy MH-60 helicopter fired two ‌Hellfire missiles into the Vela Nova’s engine ⁠room, the Central Command ‌added.“As of Aug. 11, CENTCOM has redirected 55 commercial vessels attempting ‌to run the blockade, disabled 3 non-compliant vessels, ⁠and boarded 2,” ⁠it said in ‌a statement.- ReutersAugust 12, 2026 06:43 Lebanon says Israeli strikes on south kill one, damage ambulanceIsraeli twin strikes on southern Lebanon killed one person yesterday and damaged an ambulance, Lebanese state media and the Health Ministry said, with the latter condemning the “continued targeting” of rescuers.The incident is the latest Israeli attack despite an ongoing truce in the war between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah.Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency said the strike targeted a vehicle in the southern city of Nabatieh, while the Health Ministry reported two wounded.The NNA later said one person succumbed to their wounds.- AFP Published - August 12, 2026 06:40 am IST