Iran live updates: US fires missiles on blockade-running ship

A U.S. Navy helicopter fired two Hellfire missiles at the Panamanian-flagged cargo vessel M/V Vela Nova that was attempting to break the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports, according to U.S. Central Command.

"A U.S. Navy MH-60 helicopter fired two Hellfire missiles into the Vela Nova’s engine room after the ship’s civilian crew ignored repeated warnings from American forces. The ship is no longer transiting to Iran in violation of the U.S. blockade, which remains in full effect," CENTCOM said in a statement Tuesday.

This is the third ship that has been disabled since the restart of the blockade in July; two other ships have been boarded and 55 have been "redirected."

-ABC News' Luis Martinez

The Houthis in Yemen claim they targeted a ship that was transporting Saudi military equipment in the Bab al-Mandab Strait on Tuesday.

This claim by the Houthis, has not been verified.

Earlier, the Ministry of Transportation of the internationally recognized government of Yemen said the ship was transporting "food supplies."

The death toll in the attack is now six, with the deaths of two members of the armed forces. Ten others were injured in the incident, according to a statement from Yemen's coast guard.

Majed al-Ansari, the spokesperson for Qatar's Foreign Ministry, said on Tuesday that talks between Iran and Oman on the future of the Strait of Hormuz are currently at a "critical point."

Speaking during a briefing with journalists, the spokesperson said that Doha had received "positive statements from both capitals" in recent days.

-ABC News' Somayeh Malekian

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Organization (UKMTO) Centre said in an alert on Tuesday that it received a report of a vessel being hit by an "unknown projectile" in the southern Red Sea.

The attack resulted in casualties, the UKMTO advisory said. Authorities are investigating the incident, which was reported off the coast of Yemen, the center added.

-ABC News' Othon Leyva