Swapna Kumbar , Bengaluru - The United States military has confirmed that it fired on a Gambia-flagged cargo ship accused of violating the ongoing US blockade on Iranian ports, marking another escalation in tensions surrounding maritime security in the Gulf region. According to US Central Command (CENTCOM), the vessel, identified as the M/V Lian Star, ignored multiple warnings while heading toward an Iranian port, prompting American forces to take direct action.

CENTCOM said the incident occurred on May 29 in the Gulf of Oman after US forces observed the M/V Lian Star transiting toward an Iranian port. Officials stated that more than 20 warnings were issued to the vessel, informing its crew that it was violating the US-enforced blockade. After the ship allegedly failed to comply, a US aircraft fired a Hellfire missile into the vessel’s engine room, disabling its propulsion system and preventing it from continuing its journey. The US military said the ship remains unable to proceed toward Iran and has not been boarded by American forces.

The action comes as Washington continues enforcing a blockade on Iranian maritime trade routes amid fragile ceasefire negotiations and ongoing disputes over the Strait of Hormuz. CENTCOM said US forces have now disabled multiple commercial vessels and redirected more than 100 ships as part of blockade enforcement operations. The military did not report any casualties aboard the Lian Star. The incident has added fresh pressure to already sensitive US-Iran negotiations involving sanctions, maritime security, and the reopening of critical Gulf shipping lanes.

The strike on the M/V Lian Star highlights the increasingly aggressive enforcement of the US blockade against Iran as diplomatic negotiations remain uncertain. With tensions still high across the Gulf and the future of the Strait of Hormuz unresolved, incidents at sea continue to play a major role in shaping the wider geopolitical standoff between Washington and Tehran.