A Panama-flagged container ship was reportedly struck by a missile while transiting the Gulf of Oman on Tuesday, roughly 71 nautical miles off Pakistan's coast, in an incident that maritime security sources have linked to the ongoing U.S. naval blockade enforcing pressure on Iran. British maritime risk management group Vanguard identified the vessel as the Vela Nova, a 30-year-old Panama-flagged container ship, and said it had been struck by a missile fired from a helicopter while sailing westbound through the Gulf of Oman. The Vela Nova's ownership structure has drawn additional scrutiny given the broader campaign against Iran-linked shipping. Brown said the Zyra was notable for having changed its flag registration from Iran to what he described as a false Comoros flag, raising questions about whether such reflagging is being used to obscure vessels' Iranian connections. Tuesday's incident is not the first involving a Panama-flagged vessel since the war began.