Washington: 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. The vessel, identified as M/V Lian Star, was reportedly on its way to an Iranian port, prompting the US intervention due to its violation of the US blockade of Iranian ports.
According to Emirates News Agency, CENTCOM stated that the M/V Lian Star received "more than 20 warnings" from the US military before decisive action was taken. Despite repeated warnings, the vessel continued its course, leading to the deployment of a US aircraft that fired a Hellfire missile into the ship's engine room. The successful disabling of the ship ensured that it is no longer transiting to Iran, as confirmed by CENTCOM via a post on X.