An Iranian commercial vessel was reportedly struck in the Strait of Hormuz late on Saturday, killing one person and injuring four others, according to Iranian state media, as tensions continue to rise around the strategically vital waterway. Iran's state broadcaster IRIB said the incident occurred early on Sunday near Qeshm Island, off Iran's southern coast. The state-run IRNA news agency quoted the governor of Qeshm as blaming a "terrorist enemy" for the attack.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility, while the United States has not publicly commented on the reported incident. The attack came a day before Iranian officials were due to meet regional representatives in Oman to discuss managing commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. A separate vessel was also hit by an unknown projectile in the strait late on Saturday, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre (UKMTO).
It said a fire broke out and local authorities were helping to evacuate crew members, but did not identify the vessel or its flag. The incidents have heightened concerns over the security of shipping through the waterway, through which around 20 million barrels of oil a day passed before the current conflict. Traffic has reportedly fallen by about 90% from pre-conflict levels.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said the waterway would be reopened only if the United States ended its blockade. Ebrahim Azizi, chairman of the Iranian parliament's national security committee, said negotiations would be pointless unless Washington accepted all of Tehran's conditions. The reported attacks came as Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen also stepped up their activities around another major maritime chokepoint.
The Houthis claimed responsibility on Sunday for an attack on a Saudi military base in the Sharurah region, saying they had used ballistic missiles and drones against weapons depots and command-and-control facilities. The group has also intensified fighting against Yemen's Saudi-backed government. Last week, the Houthis said they had captured Perim Island at the entrance to the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a key shipping route linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.
The simultaneous pressure on the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab has raised concerns over global shipping and energy supplies. Prolonged disruption to either waterway could further increase oil prices and freight costs. Here we are to serve you with news right now.
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