The US Central Command (CENTCOM), the agency in charge of US forces in the Middle East, said that the attack took place on May 29 after the M/V Lian Star ship did not respond to more than 20 warnings issued.
“After the crew of the Lian Star ship did not comply with the request, a US aircraft neutralized the ship by launching Hellfire missiles into the engine room. The ship is no longer en route to Iran” - CENTCOM said.
The statement did not mention whether anyone on the Lian Star ship was injured after the attack.
CENTCOM added that US forces have neutralized 5 merchant ships and diverted 116 other ships to fully implement the blockade, in the context that the ceasefire with Iran is still in effect.
The US is implementing a blockade of Iranian ports, while Tehran has blocked all traffic through the Strait of Hormuz - a key shipping route for world oil and gas transportation.
Negotiations to find a solution to end the conflict as well as reopen the Strait of Hormuz have not yet reached a final agreement.
