American forces struck a ship with a missile Friday after the vessel attempted to break through the military blockade surrounding Iran, according to military officials.
U.S. Central Command announced Saturday that it launched a Hellfire missile targeting the engine compartment of the Lian Star, which flies under Gambia’s flag. The ship was traveling through international waters en route to an Iranian port located on the Gulf of Oman when the strike occurred.
Military personnel had previously issued “more than 20 warnings” to the vessel’s crew, alerting them that their journey violated the established U.S. blockade, Centcom officials stated.
Following the missile strike, Centcom confirmed the ship was “no longer transiting to Iran” but offered no additional information about the vessel’s current status.
The military blockade, which began on April 13, has successfully “redirected” a minimum of 115 vessels, according to Friday’s announcement from Centcom.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth stated Saturday that American military forces remain prepared to launch additional attacks against Iran should diplomatic efforts to resolve the ongoing conflict between the two nations fail.
The continuing hostilities have driven up energy costs worldwide, particularly as Iran has largely shut down operations through the Strait of Hormuz.
