Washington DC - A US helicopter on Tuesday fired missiles into the engine room of a Panama-flagged cargo ship that attempted to break the American blockade of Iran's ports, the US military said.

The US Navy MH-60 helicopter fired on and disabled the M/V Vela Nova "after the ship's civilian crew ignored repeated warnings from American forces," US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on X, adding that the vessel "is no longer transiting to Iran in violation of the US blockade."

It was the third time the US, in a months-long war against Iran, has forcibly halted a vessel since reinstating the ports blockade on July 14.

CENTCOM said it has redirected 55 ships that tried to run the blockade and boarded two others as of Tuesday.

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US forces previously blockaded Iranian ports from April 13 to June 18, during which time they disabled nine ships and redirected more than 140, according to CENTCOM.

Iran has demanded that the US end the port blockade as part of its conditions to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a key conduit for oil and gas shipments before the war that has seen traffic plummet due to Tehran's attacks on ships in the area.