U.S. Helicopter Attacked a Ship for Attempting to Break Into an Iranian Port – WSJ
On the morning of August 11, the U.S. Navy opened fire on the Panamanian-flagged container ship VELA NOVA, which was attempting to break through the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports. The incident occurred in the Gulf of Oman, approximately 71 nautical miles off the coast of Pakistan.
A UH-1Y Venom military helicopter fired a missile at the ship’s rudder after its crew ignored warnings. The strike caused a fire on board, which was later extinguished. All 17 crew members were unharmed, and the vessel attempted to transfer the crew to another civilian vessel.
This was reported by The Wall Street Journal, citing a U.S. official and the maritime security firm Vanguard.
As a reminder, U.S. President Donald Trump has instructed American negotiators to demand compensation from Iran for the dead and wounded—whom he links to Tehran’s actions—during any future negotiations between the countries.
U.S. President Donald Trump stated that he would demand compensation from Iran as part of future negotiations to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. According to Euronews, the talks have reached an impasse, and the new U.S. demands could complicate the prospects for a swift agreement.
Trump has stated his willingness to rely on economic pressure against Iran.
