ATTACK OFF PAKISTAN
Individually, the Panama-flagged container ship Vela Nova was struck by a missile in an assault off Pakistan whereas crusing into the Gulf of Oman, maritime safety sources instructed Reuters.
The Wall Road Journal reported the vessel was attacked by a US helicopter, which fired a Hellfire missile on the ship’s rudder after it tried to evade a US blockade of Iran-linked delivery within the area.
There was no speedy remark from US Central Command.
If confirmed, it could be the twelfth vessel attacked by US forces since its blockade was introduced in April and the third because the blockade was reimposed on July 14.
The ship lately made port calls in Mumbai and Port Klang, Malaysia, the place Iran-linked ships have additionally been noticed, mentioned Charlie Brown, senior advisor at US advocacy group United Towards Nuclear Iran (UANI), which screens Iran-related tanker site visitors utilizing ship and satellite tv for pc monitoring.
“The reported US disabling and stopping of the Panama-flagged Vela Nova close to the blockade line within the Gulf of Oman, after its current Mumbai port name alongside these vessels, underscores the heightened scrutiny now being utilized to Iran-related delivery,” he mentioned.
The ship was believed to have been hit some 71 nautical miles off Pakistan’s coast, UK maritime threat administration group Vanguard mentioned.
