US military disables non-compliant vessel over blockade violation
May 31, 2026
Washington [US], May 31: The US military has disabled a Gambian-flagged vessel that was heading to Iran by firing a missile into its engine room, US Central Command announced today.
CENTCOM said the M/V Lian Star was en route to an Iranian port when the US military issued "more than 20 warnings" that it was violating the US blockade of Iranian ports.
"A U.S. aircraft disabled the vessel by firing a Hellfire missile into the ship's engine room after Lian Star's crew failed to comply," CENTCOM said on X. "The ship is no longer transiting to Iran."
Source: Emirates News Agency
