Three ships hit by projectiles while in Strait of Hormuz
by Vaughn Cockayne · The Washington TimesThree commercial ships were struck by unidentified projectiles on Tuesday while traveling in the Strait of Hormuz, according to maritime authorities, further straining the U.S.-Iran ceasefire.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations’ center received a report that an attack on a tanker ship took place 10 miles east of Limah, Oman, on Tuesday. The unidentified projectile struck the ship’s port side and sparked a fire.
The agency also reported attacks on two additional vessels in Hormuz.
Both suffered minor structural damage, and at least one was able to continue on its journey. The location of the attacks, names of the vessels, point of origin and cargo have not been made public.
UKMTO reported no casualties and no environmental impact from either incident.
Iranian state media outlets identified the tanker harmed in the first incident as the Al Rekayyat, which was transporting a shipment of liquefied natural gas from Qatar.
Reports added that the ship was targeted after allegedly ignoring warnings from Iranian officials against traveling in Omani waters through Hormuz.
But no Iranian authorities have publicly claimed responsibility for the attack.
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Tehran has consistently said commercial shipping vessels must travel through Iranian-controlled waters in the Strait of Hormuz and work with Iran’s military or face severe consequences.
The Foreign Ministry of Qatar blamed Iran for the attack on the Al Rekayyat, calling the incident an explicit violation of international law.
“The targeting of the Qatari tanker Al Rekayyat as it was passing near the Strait of Hormuz is an unacceptable attack on the security and safety of international navigation and the security of global energy supplies,” Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al Ansari wrote on X.
The apparent attack is the latest flare-up in the Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf. The strait is supposed to be open to commercial vessels under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding signed by Iran and the U.S.
Under the terms of the memorandum, the strait is to remain open and toll-free for at least 60 days, while Iran, the U.S. and Oman finalize a governing framework for the waterway.
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The agreement also calls for a ceasefire on all fronts and for the U.S. and Iran to begin technical negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear program and sanctions relief.
Shipping has picked up significantly in the strait since the U.S. and Iran signed the memorandum last month, but traffic is still well below pre-war levels. Recent attacks in the waterway are likely to scare off commercial shipping companies.
In late June, a commercial vessel was struck by an unidentified projectile while attempting to travel through the strait via Omani waters. Iran did not claim responsibility for the attack but was quickly blamed by the U.S., which launched strikes on Iranian military targets shortly after.
Iran responded with retaliatory strikes on U.S. military installations in the region.
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Vaughn Cockayne
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