U.S. Forces Attack Panama-Flagged Ship in Gulf of Oman

The U.S. Navy fired Hellfire missiles from a helicopter at the Panama-flagged containership Vela Nova in the Gulf of Oman, disabling the vessel after it failed to respond to warnings during maritime blockade enforcement operations. The strike represents an escalation in American Central Command's enforcement actions in the region, marking the latest in a series of direct military interventions against commercial shipping. The incident underscores heightened tensions in one of the world's critical maritime chokepoints.