Overview
- U.S. Central Command said a Navy MH-60 helicopter fired two Hellfire missiles on a Panama-flagged cargo ship that it says tried to breach the U.S. blockade, disabling the M/V Vela Nova’s steering and engine systems.
- CENTCOM has reported broad enforcement activity, saying it has redirected dozens of vessels and disabled or boarded multiple ships that it accuses of attempting to reach Iranian ports.
- President Donald Trump publicly asserted the United States has 'total control' of the Strait of Hormuz, a statement Tehran has flatly rejected and that hardens public postures on both sides.
- Iranian officials led by Mohsen Rezaei say the strait will remain closed until Washington meets a package of demands including lifting the blockade and sanctions and releasing frozen assets.
- Commercial traffic has collapsed to single digits for daily transits and the conflict has spread to other chokepoints, with recent Houthi strikes in the Bab al-Mandeb killing crew and rescuers while Oman, Pakistan and Qatar press fragile talks to find a routable solution.