US military fires missile into cargo ship after it ignored 20 warnings to reach Iran breaching Hormuz blockade

The US military disabled a merchant vessel attempting to run its blockade of Iranian ports by firing a missile into its engine room, Central Command announced on Saturday, marking the sixth time American forces have intercepted a ship seeking to breach the cordon since it was established in April. Cargo Ship Lian Star Disabled After Ignoring More Than 20 US Warnings The Lian Star, a Gambia-flagged cargo vessel, was struck overnight after it repeatedly disregarded attempts by US forces to turn it back as it sought to reach an Iranian port. The ship received more than 20 separate warnings before the missile strike was authorised, the US military said. Also Read | Trump ends Situation Room meeting without final decision The vessel remained adrift in the Gulf of Oman on Saturday. US forces had not boarded the ship, according to a US official with knowledge of the situation who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations. US Has Now Halted Six Ships and Redirected 116 Vessels Since Blockade Began The Lian Star incident brings to six the total number of vessels the US military has stopped attempting to breach the blockade since it came into force. One ship was allowed to continue its passage. A further 116 vessels have been redirected away from Iranian ports, the military said. Also Read | Trump to make final decision on Iran deal, lists 5 conditions The blockade was launched on 17 April as a direct response to Iran's effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which followed the outbreak of war in the Middle East after US and Israeli strikes on 28 February. A fragile ceasefire has held since 7 April. The region is now waiting to learn whether a deal can be reached to extend it by 60 days, during which time negotiations on Iran's disputed nuclear programme would be held. Strait of Hormuz Standoff Keeps Pressure on the Global Economy The prolonged blockade at the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway separating Iran and Oman through which significant volumes of the world's oil, natural gas and fertiliser once flowed freely, continues to reverberate through global markets. Shipments of those commodities remain largely stranded, deepening the strain on consumers and food producers around the world. The US blockade is designed to curtail Iran's own shipments through the waterway and restrict its access to foreign revenue, adding fresh economic pressure to an Iranian economy already substantially weakened by years of international sanctions. Trump Has Yet to Decide on 60-Day Ceasefire Extension as Iran Says No Deal Is Finalised US President Donald Trump met with advisers on Friday to weigh whether to proceed with a deal that would extend the ceasefire by 60 days and reopen the strait to normal commercial passage. No decision had been announced by Saturday. Iran said the deal had not been finalised. Also Read | Centre asks fuel retailers to ensure 30-day LPG reserves amid supply concerns Commercial traffic has continued to move through the strait in limited volumes despite Iran's insistence that it must approve any vessel transits, though those flows remain well below the levels recorded before the war began. Iran Threatens Any Vessels That Challenge Its Authority Over the Strait Tehran has made clear it does not intend to relinquish its claimed authority over the waterway without resistance. Iran's joint military command issued a pointed warning on Saturday in a statement carried by state television, directed at any vessel seeking to transit without its approval. "Any violation of these regulations will place the security of their passage at serious risk," the command said, adding that military vessels attempting to interfere would be targeted. Iran has also sought to assert financial control over the strait by levying transit tolls of as much as $2 million per vessel. International maritime law experts have described the practice as a violation of the longstanding principle of freedom of peaceful navigation. Qatar Opens Door to Talks Over Strait Transit Fees Under Specific Conditions One of Iran's Gulf neighbours signalled limited flexibility over the toll question even as it formally registered its opposition. Qatar's deputy prime minister, Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan bin Ali Al Thani, indicated on Saturday that the fees could become a subject of negotiation under particular circumstances. "But for certain times when they say they are going to use it for mine clearing or some usage of the fees for a temporary time, this is something that is negotiable, and it could be something that will help the transit of the Strait of Hormuz to be back to normal stage," he said. US Forces Have Not Found or Destroyed Any Mines in the Strait The reference to mine clearing carries particular significance given that a US official previously told the Associated Press that US forces have not found or destroyed any mines in the strait, raising questions about the stated basis for Iran's toll regime and the