A US Navy MH-60 helicopter fired two Hellfire missiles at the engine room of the Panama-flagged cargo ship Vela Nova in the Gulf of Oman on Tuesday after the vessel attempted to reach an Iranian port. The strike disabled the ship's propulsion and steering, consistent with prior US actions that have redirected or disabled 55 vessels attempting to breach sanctions. Multiple details regarding the blockade's start date, exact number of prior interventions, and legal status remain unverified or disputed across reports.