According to Axios, citing two U.S. officials, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards launched at least two missiles at commercial vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday night.
The attack caused significant damage to two commercial ships, although no injuries were reported, one U.S. official said.
In a separate incident, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency reported that a tanker caught fire after being struck by an unidentified projectile early Tuesday while sailing approximately 8 nautical miles (15 km) east of Limah, Oman.
UKMTO said the projectile hit the vessel’s port side as it was travelling southbound, sparking a fire. No casualties or environmental pollution have been reported.
Reuters could not immediately verify the Axios report or determine whether the ships described in that report included the tanker cited in the UKMTO advisory.
The reports underscored the risks to shipping around the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway between Iran and Oman through which about a fifth of global oil consumption passes. Commercial vessels have come under attack during the war that began with U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran, despite an interim agreement that included safe-passage provisions.
U.S.-Iran Tensions Persist Despite Ceasefire
Indirect U.S.-Iran talks ended last week without any public sign of headway toward a lasting peace, despite a 60-day ceasefire intended to create space for diplomacy following the U.S. and Israeli strikes that triggered the conflict.
President Donald Trump said on Monday the U.S. would either reach a deal with Iran or “finish the job,” renewing his threat of military action as Tehran projects defiance following the funeral of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
‘Ready To Fire At You’
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards warned ships over maritime radio that “our missiles and drones are ready to fire at you,” the Wall Street Journal reported, citing a recording.
The newspaper said one of the vessels hit was likely Al Rekayyat, an LNG tanker operated by Nakilat. The ship was struck on the port side near the engine room while at the mouth of the Strait of Hormuz in the Gulf of Oman, triggering an engine-room fire. All crew members were reported safe.
Nakilat, QatarEnergy and Qatar’s International Media Office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Investors are closely monitoring U.S.-Iran talks and the security of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz as Gulf oil exports recover.
(With inputs from Reuters)
