U.S. Coast Guard and FBI personnel boarded two foreign-flagged commercial vessels bound for the United States on Aug. 21 and Aug. 24 after receiving indications that both ships’ computer networks had been compromised. The unusual Gulf of Mexico operation came as U.S. authorities investigated a series of cyber incidents that media reports have linked to Iran since the outbreak of conflict between Washington and Tehran, although neither agency identified the suspected attackers. The Coast Guard referred only to the Aug. 21 boarding and said foreign cyber actors were involved, while the FBI confirmed both operations; the agencies did not explain the difference. Maritime security executive Corey Ranslem said one vessel was the Liberian-flagged VL Prosperity, which tracking data showed anchored near Galveston, Texas. Iran’s Mehr News Agency previously reported that the ship suffered a major cyberattack while transiting the Strait of Gibraltar, knocking out communications for 30 hours and affecting engine-room systems. U.S. investigators have not publicly attributed the incident to Iran, and experts say cyberattacks on ships can exploit weak separation between internet-connected networks and systems controlling propulsion, navigation, steering, ballast and other machinery.