The US military announced on Tuesday that it had shot a Panama-flagged ship that was trying to approach an Iranian port in violation of Washington’s blockade. President Donald Trump asserted again that the United States was exercising “total control” over the Strait of Hormuz. Follow our liveblog for the latest developments.
US military operations in 2025 killed 153 civilians
US military strikes in Yemen in 2025 killed 153 civilians and wounded 243, a US official said on Tuesday, citing Pentagon assessments.
This compares with a Pentagon assessment that two civilians were killed and two were injured by US military operations in 2024.
US helicopter fires missiles at cargo ship attempting to break Iran blockade
A US helicopter fired missiles on Tuesday into the engine room of a Panama-flagged cargo ship that attempted to break the American blockade of Iran’s ports, the United States 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 United States, 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.
US forces previously blockaded Iranian ports from April 13 to June 18, during which they disabled nine ships and redirected more than 140, according to CENTCOM.
Trump says he secretly switched planes in Turkey over assassination threat
US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he secretly switched planes in Turkey last month at the direction of the US Secret Service, but that the plane he ultimately flew on was still more vulnerable than Air Force One.
Following a NATO summit in Ankara, Trump was transferred from Air Force One to a military plane via a catering truck in an extraordinary deception prompted by an Iranian assassination threat, US media reported.
The White House did not disclose the change and it remained a secret until the Washington Post first reported it on Monday.
Some media commentators questioned whether the operation left Trump’s aides and journalists travelling with him at risk aboard the plane presumed to be carrying the president.
Welcome to this France 24 liveblog covering events in the Middle East. You can catch up on recent developments here.
