U.S. Forces Disable M/V Lian Star with Hellfire Missile as Iran Blockade Intensifies Amid Ceasefire Talks

A U.S. aircraft fired a Hellfire missile into the engine room of a Gambia-flagged bulk carrier in the Gulf of Oman on May 29, disabling the vessel after it ignored more than 20 warnings and continued toward an Iranian port in defiance of an American naval blockade . The strike on the M/V Lian Star marks the fifth time U.S. forces have physically disabled a ship since the blockade began on April 13, and it happened on the same day President Donald Trump announced he might lift the blockade on the Strait of Hormuz as part of a potential peace framework with Iran .

The dual developments — a kinetic military enforcement action and a high-level diplomatic signal — capture the volatile state of the conflict, where a fragile ceasefire holds while negotiations over Iran's nuclear program continue.

How U.S. forces stopped the M/V Lian Star

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces observed the Gambia-flagged bulker M/V Lian Star transiting international waters in the Gulf of Oman on a course toward an Iranian port . In accordance with the blockade that prohibits all maritime traffic from entering or departing Iranian ports, U.S. forces issued the crew more than 20 warnings via radio calls, flares, and other non-lethal signals . After the warnings were ignored and the vessel failed to change course, a U.S. aircraft fired a Hellfire missile directly into the ship's engine room .

The precision strike disabled the ship but did not sink it. The crew was reported safe, and U.S. forces did not board the vessel, leaving it adrift in the Gulf of Oman . CENTCOM confirmed the ship is no longer transiting to Iran . The M/V Lian Star is a 1,600 dwt general cargo ship built in 1993, measuring 71 meters in length, with its owners reportedly based in the United Arab Emirates .

The broader blockade enforcement campaign

The naval blockade of Iranian ports began on April 13, 2026, under a presidential proclamation . The operation applies to vessels of all nations attempting to enter or leave any Iranian port on the Arabian Gulf or Gulf of Oman, while deliberately not impeding freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz for ships bound to or from non-Iranian destinations .

As the enforcement campaign entered its seventh week, the cumulative impact was substantial:

• 116 commercial vessels redirected: As of May 30, CENTCOM reported that 116 commercial vessels had been turned away from Iranian ports since April 13 . The number had crossed the 100-vessel milestone by May 23 .
• Five vessels disabled: The Lian Star was the fifth vessel physically stopped by U.S. forces. Four previous vessels had been disabled as of May 23 .
• Humanitarian carve-outs: U.S. forces have permitted 26 humanitarian aid ships to pass through the blockade .
• Force size: More than 15,000 U.S. soldiers, sailors, Marines, and airmen have been involved in enforcement operations over the past six weeks .

A CENTCOM statement described the blockade's effect bluntly, saying it has allowed "zero trade into and out of Iranian ports which has squeezed Iran economically" .

Trump's May 29 announcement: Lifting the Hormuz blockade

While the Lian Star was being disabled, President Trump posted on Truth Social that the U.S. blockade of the Strait of Hormuz "will now be lifted" as part of a proposed deal framework with Iran . He said he was meeting in the White House Situation Room to make a "final determination" on whether to agree to a peace deal .

Trump listed specific conditions Iran must meet:

• Never possess a nuclear weapon .
• Work with the U.S. to destroy its highly enriched uranium .
• Reopen the Strait of Hormuz immediately for unrestricted shipping traffic in both directions .
• Remove any remaining water mines from the strait .

Key nuance — what "lifted" means: Trump's language referred specifically to lifting the blockade on the Strait of Hormuz waterway itself — allowing ships to pass through the strait. The military blockade of Iranian ports would remain in place pending restored shipping traffic and Iranian compliance with the terms . This distinction matters because the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports is separate from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz that Iran implemented after the war began.

In fact, CENTCOM continued to issue warnings to vessels on May 30, the day after Trump's announcement, and the Iranian military's Tasnim News Agency reported that mariners were still receiving blockade-related notifications from U.S. forces .

Iran's response: No deal is finalized

Iran pushed back quickly. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said on May 30 that "no agreement has been finalized" and that messaging between the two sides is continuing . He added that the future management of the Strait of Hormuz "concerns only Iran and Oman" .

Iranian military-linked media went further. The Fars news agency rejected Trump's claims entirely, reporting that the draft deal under review in Tehran contains no unconditional reopening of the Strait of Hormuz . The report described the proposed agreement as a "commitment for commitment" framework in the final stages of approval in Iran, but stressed no final decision has been made .

Timeline: From airstrikes to ceasefire negotiations

The blockade and the Lian Star incident sit within a broader conflict that has reshaped the Middle East since late February 2026.

• February 28, 2026: The United States and Israel launched coordinated airstrikes against Iran, targeting military and government sites and killing multiple senior officials, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei . Iran responded with missile and drone strikes against Israel, U.S. bases, and allied countries, and closed the Strait of Hormuz .
• April 8, 2026: After weeks of conflict, the U.S., Israel, and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire brokered by Pakistan . The ceasefire was conditioned on Iran partially lifting its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz .
• April–May 2026: Direct peace talks in Islamabad failed to produce a comprehensive deal. The U.S. insisted Iran must commit to abandoning its nuclear weapons program; Iran refused those terms .
• Late May 2026: Negotiators reportedly reached a tentative agreement to extend the ceasefire by 60 days and begin a new round of nuclear talks . Trump then signaled he would lift the Strait of Hormuz blockade if Iran met his specified conditions .

An unstable intersection of force and diplomacy

The disabling of the M/V Lian Star on the same day Trump announced a potential diplomatic breakthrough underscores a central tension: the U.S. is simultaneously signaling openness to a deal while continuing to enforce the blockade with lethal precision. The kinetic enforcement of the blockade on Iranian ports remains fully operational, even as the White House suggests the passage through the Strait of Hormuz — a separate but related concern — may soon reopen.

Iran disputes that any agreement has been reached, and CENTCOM's continued warnings to ships the following day confirm that the blockade, for now, remains unchanged . The situation remains fluid, with both military and diplomatic tracks running in parallel, each capable of derailing the other.