The U.S. military reported that it struck the engine room of a commercial vessel identified as the Gambia-flagged Lian Star after the ship was observed transiting international waters toward an Iranian port on the Gulf of Oman.
In a statement on Saturday, U.S. Central Command said it fired a Hellfire missile into the ship's engine room. Centcom said that before the strike, U.S. forces issued "more than 20 warnings" informing the vessel that it was in violation of the U.S. blockade of Iran.
Centcom added that the Lian Star was "no longer transiting to Iran" following the strike but did not provide additional details about the vessel's current status or destination.
The action is the latest development in a maritime operation the U.S. began on April 13. Since the blockade started, Centcom said on Friday that U.S. forces have "redirected" at least 115 ships that were attempting to reach Iranian ports or were otherwise affected by the operation.
Separately, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said on Saturday that the U.S. military is prepared to resume strikes on Iran if negotiators are unable to reach a deal to end the conflict between the United States and Iran. The U.S. stance on potential additional strikes was offered without further operational detail.
Officials and observers have noted an economic effect tied to the military situation: the conflict has pushed up global energy prices, Centcom said, in part because Iran has largely closed the Strait of Hormuz. That development has coincided with the blockade operations and related naval activity in the Gulf of Oman and surrounding waters.
The U.S. account contains a number of discrete factual points: a Hellfire missile struck the Lian Star's engine room; U.S. forces issued more than 20 warnings beforehand; Centcom reported the vessel was no longer heading to Iran; the blockade has been in place since April 13 and has prompted the redirection of at least 115 ships; and U.S. defense leadership has signaled readiness to resume strikes if a diplomatic resolution is not reached. Centcom did not provide additional operational detail beyond those statements.
Summary of facts:
- Missile strike targeted the engine room of the Gambia-flagged Lian Star.
- U.S. forces issued more than 20 warnings prior to the strike.
- Centcom said the vessel was no longer transiting to Iran; no further detail was provided.
- The U.S. blockade began on April 13 and has led to the redirection of at least 115 ships.
- Defense officials have stated strikes could resume if no deal ends the conflict; the situation has driven up global energy prices as Iran has mostly closed the Strait of Hormuz.