U.S. forces hit Panama-flagged vessel trying to bypass blockade of Iranian ports, Central Command says

An American military helicopter struck a Panama-flagged vessel after it tried to bypass the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports, U.S. Central Command said.

It was unclear if there were casualties from the attack after a U.S. Navy MH-60 helicopter fired two Hellfire missiles into the Vela Nova's engine room, according to CENTCOM. The ship's civilian crew allegedly ignored repeated warnings from U.S. forces as they attempted to transit the Gulf of Oman.

"The ship is no longer transiting to Iran in violation of the U.S. blockade, which remains in full effect," CENTCOM said.

As of Tuesday, CENTCOM said it has disabled three non-compliant vessels, boarded two and redirected 55 commercial vessels attempting to run the U.S. blockade.

At least six people were killed in alleged strikes by Iran-backed Houthi rebels on a cargo vessel Tuesday near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, off Yemen's southern coast, the country's coast guard said Tuesday. The latest death toll was slightly higher than one given earlier in the day by Yemen's Saudi-backed transport ministry, which said at least four had been killed.

The coast guard from Yemen's internationally recognized government said four sailors aboard the cargo vessel - identified as the Tihamah - were among the dead along with two members of the forces deployed during a rescue mission to evacuate the ship.

Greek maritime firm Marisks issued a security alert Tuesday saying a Saudi-owned commercial vessel had "reportedly been struck by a missile" while transiting the Bab el-Mandeb. "Initial reports indicate three crew fatalities - two Pakistani and one Indonesian national," wrote Marisks, without specifying where the reports were coming from.

A second strike targeted the vessel as rescue workers carried out a mission to evacuate the ship.

"The attack struck the site of the rescue operation and resulted in deaths and injuries among the forces participating in the response operation," the coast guard added, saying 10 people were injured over the course of the strikes.